Prologue

Abstract

Elder abuse (EA) is a prevalent, identifiable, fatal and costly public health issue that affects populations living in both communities and institutional settings of all sociodemographic and socioeconomic strata. The problem is particularly disturbing given the estimated global population growth of people aged 65 from 2010 to 2050, is predicted to triple and reach 1.5 billion individuals or 16% of the world's population [35]. The field of elder justice has to take a vertical leap to understand and protect this vulnerable population through coordinated efforts across community, city/state, federal, and international organizations. This comprehensive volume aims to objectively provide the state of the science for the past, present, and future for the field of elder justice through systematic evaluations of research, practice, and policy.