reflecting on restorative approaches to elder abuse

It was just about a year ago that Futures Without Violence convened the groundbreaking Strategies to Advance Greater Elder Safety (STAGES), a two-day event in in Washington D.C. to explore how restrorative justice approaches can prevent or mitigate the harm of elder abuse.This blog, by CEJC's Director of Special Projects, originally appeared on Future's LinkedIn page as "A Day with Futures Thinking Abuse Elder Justice." 

By Lisa Nerenberg, CEJC Director of Special Projects
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It was unlike any elder justice event I’d ever been to. And I've been to a lot. Strategies to Advance Greater Elder Safety (STAGES), a two-day event hosted by Futures Without Violence last June, signaled that change was coming to our field.

An Invitation to Breath
In a world of crushing deadlines and amped up polarization, starting an event with an invitation to take a deep breath and open our hearts and minds was a welcome change. Kay Pranis, a much-admired leader in the restorative justice movement, led us in peacekeeping circles, setting the tone for what was to come. Circles are spaces for talking about hard topics honestly and openly, drawing from participants' lived experiences. Kay has "kept" circles for groups ranging from high school students to World Bank employees, addressing conflicts as varied as bullying and community disputes over property rights. The common theme is that healing harm begins by building trust and identifying common values. “Prompts,” invited us to consider the challenges of aging, why we do what we do, and the values that guide our work.

​In circle, everyone is seen, everyone has a voice, and everything is an invitation.

Coming back together, we reflected on what we'd heard. There had been questions and explanations, lapses and misunderstandings: a forgotten acknowledgement, disagreement over whether restorative approaches could be applied to domestic violence, and an explanation of gender pronouns for doubters. There were gestures of humility and empathy and the exhilaration of new connections and understanding.

​Restorative Approaches
The line-up of presenters included trailblazers and influencers, seekers and explorers. Arlene Groh, who gave the first plenary presentation, was in the trailblazers’ camp as founder and co-ordinator of the Healing Approaches to Elder Abuse Project, supported by the Community Care Access Centre in Waterloo, Ontario, one of the oldest enduring programs to bring restorative approaches to elder abuse. The program uses circles and other restorative practices as alternatives to the traditional criminal justice system to address the harm caused by elder abuse.

​Qiana Mickie mixed it up next in her plenary talk, shifting the focus to food. The “New York City- based food systems leader” reflected on food as a medium of cultural expression and a connector of generations. The communal gardens she works with and promotes are places that foster exchange among the young and old and raise awareness about how access to nutritious food is a matter of social justice.

​​The garden is a place of healing.

Sharing Stories of Healing
A workshop on guided storytelling by Meghna Bhat was a chance to share personal experiences of healing and reconciliation and to look for deeper meaning and connections in our pasts. She challenged us to incorporate the power of storytelling into our work with older adults.

Story telling increases empathy, builds community, strengthens intergenerational relationships, helps heal trauma, and influences public policy.

​The panel Restorative Approaches in Elder Justice with American Indian and Alaska Native Communities, moderated by Sonya Begay of the Administration for Community Living, emphasized the indigenous roots of restorative justice and highlighted how it is reflected in tribal programs that serve elders today. Panelists included Dr. Jacque Gray, former Director of the National Indigenous Elder Justice Initiative, Peggy Jo Harper, Director of Elder Justice Projects at the Native American Elder Justice Initiative, and Margaret Carson, manager of the Muckleshoot Tribe's Adult Protective Services Program. In a lively presentation and Q & A, the panelists described how they drew from the wisdom of elders, current and ancestral, in designing tribal codes, conducting research, and meeting the everyday needs of tribal members.

​Our tribe leaves a seat open for those who are not here.

RISE and Alternatives to Punitive Approaches
Another panel, led by M.T. Connolly, elder justice expert and author of the new book The Measure of our Age, Navigating Care, Safety, Money, and Meaning Later in Life, focused on the research-driven RISE program. RISE provides alternatives to strictly punitive approaches to accountability, diverting APS clients to the community based non-profit Elder Abuse Institute of Maine, which has the flexibility to work with survivors, offenders, whole families, and other stakeholders to prevent abuse and mitigate its harm. The panelists illustrated how the program's impact is being magnified through careful evaluation and parlayed into public policy, citing how they've received public funds to expand statewide.

You punish someone, and when it is over, nothing has changed.

Collaboration
Other workshops and presentations, too numerous to list, expanded on the themes of economic justice and creative partnerships. It was a diverse array that showcased collaborations and affiliations among lawyers, domestic violence advocacy groups, and faith communities. Members of UBUNTU Research & Evaluation, a learning community focused on racial justice, applied an Afrofuturist lens to mistreatment and discrimination against elders of color. Lizzy Letter described her elder justice work as Staff Director for the U.S. Senate Committee on Aging.

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​The electric Dr. Eloise Sepeda closed out the event with a forceful appeal to reject practices that marginalize BIPOC survivors and a call for culturally specific projects designed for and led by the communities they serve. It was a challenge to come together to reduce systemic harm and increase holistic support and well-being for families.

Together we can move a few steps forward to racial reconciliation; together we can spread knowledge, awareness, and tools for intergenerational healing; and together, we can build authentic relationships and a legacy based on values.

Fresh Approaches
For those like me, weary from the current onslaught of elder abuse, predation, and exploitation we confront daily, and disheartened by our field's lack of progress in stopping it, the event's fresh approaches were deeply appreciated. STAGES was a time to reconnect with old friends and meet others who shared a thirst for both new and old--innovation and a return to age-old traditions. It was a call to exit the echo chamber and the kind of event that left me wanting more.

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