For Immediate Release

Contact: Kaitlin Konecke, Marketing Manager
Phone: 410-337-9585 x181
Email: kkonecke@healthpropress.com

Baltimore, MD (August, 2016) — Health Professions Press has published their latest book, Bullying Among Older Adults: How to Recognize and Address an Unseen Epidemic. Now available in print and e-book format, this book is the first resource to address the critical issue of bullying among older adults in senior programs and care settings, and provides the knowledge and tools to recognize bullying and develop constructive ways to intervene and prevent it.

Unbeknownst to many, bullying is not an experience limited to childhood, but is an epidemic occurring far too often among older adults as well. Studies have revealed the alarmingly high rate at which older adults in senior programs and care settings are bullied by their peers, resulting in profoundly negative effects on the elders, the staff, and the community at which it is occurring.

As an expert on peer bullying among older adults, author Robin Bonifas draws upon a growing body of research as well as the voices and actual experiences of the targets and perpetrators of bullying. She presents proactive ways for community-based or long-term care staff to minimize and prevent bullying from happening.

“This book provides a foundation for understanding bullying behaviors among older adults,” says Mercedes Bern-Klug, Ph.D., a John A. Hartford Geriatric School of Social Work Faculty Scholar and Director of Aging Studies Program at the University of Iowa. “It’s particularly useful for staff members in nursing homes, assisted living centers, and senior centers who may be challenged by these behaviors.”

Filled with practical resources and examples, this book offers effective interventions, including empathy and civility training, empowerment strategies, bystander interventions, and more. Judah Ronch, Ph.D., Dean and Professor of the Erikson School recommends that “anyone who works with older adults, or is planning to, should keep [this book] handy as a practical reference in their day to day work.”

Undoubtedly, there is an entire population of elders being bullied by their peers. They may be suffering in silence, and staff may be unsure how to handle these delicate and tricky issues. But Bullying Among Older Adults provides practical answers to the critical question, “What can be done to help?”

About Health Professions Press
Health Professions Press, Inc. (Baltimore, Maryland) is a publisher of high-quality educational resources for professionals interested in wellness and aging, long-term care, elder care, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, and healthcare management. Visit bestfriendport.wpengine.com to learn more about this independent company, its vision, mission, and ever-growing list of publications.

About the Author
Robin P. Bonifas, Ph.D., M.S.W., is currently Assistant Professor at Arizona State University School of Social Work and received her master’s and doctoral degrees in social work from the University of Washington. She was named the John A. Hartford Faculty Scholar in Geriatric Social Work in 2011. As a social gerontologist, she is focused on long-term care, elder abuse, and the resilience of older adults.