Elder Abuse and Neglect (GEY 4231.

700)
Course Syllabus
Summer Semester 2015
In the event of an emergency, it may be necessary for the University of South Florida
(USF) to suspend normal operations. During this time, USF may opt to continue delivery
of instruction through methods that include but are not limited to: Canvas, Elluminate,
Skype, and email messaging. It is the responsibility of each student to monitor the
Canvas site for each class for course-specific communication, and the main USF,
College, and department websites, emails, and MoBull messages for important general
information.
Class Information: This is a web-based course, using audio presentations and
discussion board postings, to foster discussion and learning. Each
week for this course will begin on Mondays at 8am EST and the
week will end on Sundays at 11:59pm EST. Course requirements
and assignments may be due during the week. Students are
responsible for checking this syllabus to ensure due dates and
times are met for assignment and test submissions. All materials
necessary for this course, other than the two required books to
purchase, are available on Canvas.
Instructor:
Office:
Office Hours:
Phone:
E-mail:

Chantelle Sharpe
MHC 1352
Tuesdays 1pm-3pm, email, or by appointment
(813) 974-7916
csharpe@mail.usf.edu

Course Description
The purpose of this course is to provide students with a thorough understanding of the
problem of elder maltreatment, which includes abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation.
Maltreatment within the community and in congregate living facilities (e.g., nursing
homes) will be discussed. This course will also focus on assessment strategies, public
agency responses, and appropriate legal sanctions for perpetrators, appropriate
planning to prevent maltreatment, and public policy solutions for this growing problem.
Course Objectives and Outcomes
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
1. Recognize the diverse definitions of elder abuse, neglect, and financial
exploitation;
2. Appreciate cultural variations in the identification of abusive behavior;
3. Explain the reasons why elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation are
invisible problems;
4. Analyze documents granting decision-making or fiduciary duties (e.g., powers of
attorney, guardianships) to assess the potential for maltreatment;
5. Describe methods of intervention and circumstances under which they can be
effective;
6. Identify the abilities and limitations of Federal, state, and community efforts to
prevent or address elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation; and

7. Distinguish ethical dilemmas in working with and for abused and neglected older
adults.
Required Readings to Purchase
Brandl, B., Dyer, C. B., Heisler, C. J., Otto, J. M., Stiegel, L. A., & Thomas, R. W. (2007).
Elder Abuse Detection and Intervention: A Collaborative Approach. New York:
Springer.
Roubicek, J. (2008). Financial Abuse of the Elderly: A Detectives Case Files of
Exploitation Crimes. Miami, FL: Ruby House Publishing.
Additional Readings
Other required readings for class sessions, as noted in the class schedule, will be
posted on Canvas for you to access and read prior to the class meeting.
Class Attendance
Students are expected to view the recorded lecture(s) for each weekly session, to have
read all of the assigned readings for each weekly session, and to actively participate in
class discussion boards when they are assigned. This is also a web-based course
requiring individual time management. As such, work deadlines will not be extended.
Assignments and exams are due as specified in this syllabus, unless an exception is
made in advance by the instructor. If you need to be absent due to medical reasons
(yours or your immediate familys) on a test day or a day when an assignment is due,
please provide documentation of this and notify the instructor in advance.
Course Structure
The materials for this course are divided out to reflect the weeks of the semester. The
class week for this course begins Monday at 8am and ends Sunday by 11:59pm of
each week, unless noted otherwise in the syllabus. For this course, students will
have access to all lectures, reading materials, and rubrics, and quizzes. The only
assignments that have hard deadlines are the discussion board posts, opinion
paper, and flyer/poster assignment.
The course is structured this way to hopefully help students have the flexibility to
navigate an online course in the time that is most convenient, while also
hopefully encouraging time management for critical assignments developed to
have students critically think, digest, and retain the course material being
discussed throughout the course. Students are encouraged to follow the course
as outlined in the syllabus, however, as materials will be available, students can
choose to navigate the course at their own pace.
Religious Observances
If you will need to miss a class/assignment for a religious observance, you are expected
to contact the instructor before the class session/assignment due date, preferably via
email. This also includes days where an assignment is due or an exam is being given.
Students missing classes and required coursework for religious reasons, as notified to
the instructor in advance, will be given reasonable opportunities to make up any work
missed. For further information, please refer to the USF policy for this:
GEY4231 2

http://generalcounsel.usf.edu/policies-and-procedures/pdfs/policy-10-045.pdf .
Course Requirements
1.) Quizzes (180 points)
Students will be expected to take regular quizzes based upon the textbooks and other
assigned readings for the week, which are listed in this syllabus and on Canvas. The
quizzes will be twenty (20) points each, and questions will be in multiple choice,
true/false, short answer/short essay question format. Students will have 90 minutes to
complete each quiz. As soon as you open the quiz in Canvas, the Canvas website will
begin timing you. You are required to complete the quiz and finish it within the
required time so please be mindful of your time.
2.) Discussion Boards (40 points)
Students will be expected to participate in four (4) discussion boards throughout the
course and answer questions based on examples from the required readings or from
the instructor, as posted on Canvas. Discussion board posts will be worth 10 points
each. Students will respond to the discussion question, issue, or case and must also
constructively reply to one other students postings. (NOTE: Postings such as I agree
or I like your point will not constitute a constructive reply.) All discussion board
postings and responses must be completed Sunday at 11:59pm on the week the
post and responses are due, per the syllabus. The criterion for grading discussion
board responses can be found in the rubric posted on Canvas.
3.) Paper Assignment (100 points)
You will have one (1) Paper Assignment worth 100 points. Students will choose one (1)
article from the options available in Canvas to complete this assignment. The various
article options available for this assignment will all focus on the specific topic(s) covered
in the lecture for the corresponding week in this course. Students will then write a 4page paper describing the article, reflecting on material covered in class, and provide a
thoughtful opinion of how understanding the chosen topic impacts the vulnerable and/or
older adult populations. The paper will follow APA guidelines, and be submitted via
Canvas on the due date listed on the course syllabus. Further details of paper
guidelines are available in Canvas in the modules folder titled Opinion Paper and
Poster Assignments.
4.) Poster/Flyer Assignment (100 points)
Students will create a flyer/poster for elder abuse awareness and/or advocacy using
information from articles, assigned readings, and lecture materials all available in
Canvas. The poster/flyer should include both text and graphics, a heading to show a
clear focus regarding elder abuse and/or advocacy, and be easy to read, informative,
and compelling. The poster/flyer should by 1 page, and include a separate reference
page including the articles used for content and any statistics used to support your
message. The poster/flyer will be submitted via Canvas on the due date listed in the
course syllabus. Further details of the poster/flyer guidelines are available in Canvas in
the modules folder titled Opinion Paper and Assignments.

GEY4231 3

Extra Credit
I am not fond of giving extra credit, and please do not ask for any extra credit
opportunities if your grade is not what you would like it to be after completing the
required components of this course. There might be extra credit questions provided on
certain quizzes, but this is solely at my discretion and never guaranteed to happen. If
extra credit is offered, it will be offered equally to all students in the course.
Grades
Final grades for the course will be calculated as follows:
Assignment or Exam
Quizzes
Discussion Boards
Opinion Paper Assignment
Poster/Flyer Assignment
Total

Points
180 points
40 points
100 points
100 points
420 points

The following is the grading scale that will be used:

Grades
A
90-100
B
80-89
C
70-79
D
60-69
F
< 59

Points
378-420 points
336-378 points
294-336 points
252-294 points
< 251 points

Incomplete Grades
Incompletes (I) will not be given in this course, except under exceptional circumstances,
based on written documentation, and at the sole discretion of the instructor. An
incomplete I grade indicates incomplete coursework and may be awarded only when a
small portion of the students work is incomplete, and only when the student is
otherwise earning a passing grade in the course. If you have circumstances that warrant
receiving an I, you must indicate, in writing and before the end of the semester, when
you will complete all outstanding assignments. The instructor and student must
complete the Undergraduate Incomplete Contract before grades are due to the
Registrar.
Tapes and Notes
It is not permitted to record or use, for a non-course purpose, any of the class sessions
without the expressed written consent of the instructors in advance. We will do our best
to accommodate any requests, but this will not be a regular occurrence. In addition, it is
not permitted to sell notes, tapes, recorded lectures, or other course material from this
class. Not only is it not permitted; it is illegal.

GEY4231 4

Student Disabilities Accommodation

Students in need of academic accommodations for a disability may consult with
Students with Disabilities Services to arrange appropriate accommodations. Students
are required to give reasonable notice prior to requesting an accommodation.
SDS encourages students to notify instructors of accommodation requests at least five
business days prior to needing the accommodation. A letter from SDS must accompany
this request.
See Student Responsibilities http://www.asasd.usf.edu/Student.htm
See Faculty Responsibilities http://www.asasd.usf.edu/faculty.htm
SDS encourages students to notify instructors of accommodation requests at least five
(5) business days prior to needing an accommodation. A formal letter from SDS must
accompany this request. For further information, please contact the USF Students with
Disabilities Services: http://www.sds.usf.edu/
Academic Dishonesty or Disruption of Academic Process
Any form of cheating on examinations or plagiarism on assigned papers constitutes
unacceptable deceit and dishonesty. Disruption of the classroom or teaching
environment is also unacceptable, even with online courses. The University of South
Florida has very specific policies and procedures regarding academic dishonesty or
disruption of academic process. In the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences,
we value academic honesty and good conduct in the classroom and in online courses
and, as such, we strongly adhere to university guidelines with regard to departure from
these conventions. Punishment for academic dishonesty includes receipt of a 0 or
failing grade for a specific assignment, an F or FF final course grade, as well as
suspension from the university for a semester or entire year. Please reference the
undergraduate catalog for more information on policies and procedures including
academic dishonesty, disruption procedures, and/or student academic grievance
procedures. Links for your reference:
Student Academic Integrity
http://regulationspolicies.usf.edu/regulations/pdfs/regulation-usf3.027.pdf
Disruption of the Academic Process
http://www.ugs.usf.edu/catalogs/1213/pdf/DisruptionOfAcademicProcess.pdf
Student Academic Grievance Procedures
http://regulationspolicies.usf.edu/policies-and-procedures/pdfs/policy-10-002.pdf

GEY4231 5

Course Schedule
DATE

TOPICS

Week 1
(May 11)

- Overview of course
- Historical context of elder
abuse, neglect, and financial
exploitation (maltreatment)

READINGS

Discussion
board #1 First Day
- Brandl et al. (Chapters 1-2)
Attendance

Discussion Board #1 DUE Friday May 15th by 11:59pm

- Dynamics of elder
- Brandl et al. (Chapters
maltreatment
3-4)
Week 2
(May 18)
-Identification, assessment,
-Baumhover and Beall
and reporting of elder
(Chapters 4-6; on
maltreatment
Canvas)
Discussion Board #2 DUE Sunday May 24th by 11:59pm
Week 3
(May 25)

Week 4
(June 1)

Week 5
(June 8)

- Financial exploitation

ASSIGNMENT
S

-Roubicek (all chapters)

-Statement from Fmr.
Senator Herb Kohl (DWI) (on Canvas)

Weekly Quiz
#1
Discussion
Board #2
Weekly Quiz
#2
Weekly Quiz
#3

- Financial exploitation cont.

-GAO Report on
guardian financial
exploitation (on Canvas)

- Substitute decision-making
and planning documents
(e.g., health care directives,
powers of attorney,
guardianships, trusts, wills)

-All PDFs related to

substitute decisionmaking and discussed in
lecture available in
Canvas

Opinion
Paper
Assignment
DUE
Sunday June
14th by 11:59
pm
Weekly Quiz
#4
Discussion
Board #3

Discussion Board #3 DUE Sunday June 14th by 11:59pm

Week 6
- Systemic responses to
- Brandl et al. (Chapter
(June 15) elder maltreatment
5)

Weekly Quiz
#5

GEY4231 6

Week 7
(June 22)

Week 8
(June 29)

- Multidisciplinary teams
[Guest lecturer: Jennifer
Kirchen]

- Brandl et al. (Chapter

6-8)

- Collaborative approaches
to address elder
maltreatment
[Guest lecturer: Iris
Freeman]

- New York Elder Abuse

Prevalence Study: Read
the executive summary
(p. 1-6 in the PDF),
introduction (p. 7-17 in
the PDF), and
conclusions (p. 54-58 in
the PDF) (on Canvas)

- Case management

- Brandl et al. (Chapter

9)

Weekly Quiz
#6

Discussion
Board #4
Weekly Quiz
#7

Discussion Board #4 DUE Sunday July 5th by 11:59pm

Week 9
(July 6)

- Victim Safety

- Brandl et al. (Chapter

10)

- Holding perpetrators
accountable

- Brandl et al. (Chapter

11)

Flyer/Poster
Assignment
Due Sunday
July 12th by
11:59pm
Weekly Quiz
#8

- Systems review and

change
Week 10
(July 13)

- Ending elder maltreatment

and public policy
considerations

- Brandl et al. (Chapter

12)
- Brandl et al. (Chapter
13)

Weekly Quiz
#9

GEY4231 7