Vulnerable Elder Protection Team (VEPT)
The Weill Cornell/NewYork-Presbyterian’s Vulnerable Elder Protection Team (VEPT) is a first-of-its-kind ED/hospital-based multi-disciplinary team to address elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. VEPT is a consultation service available 24/7 to assess, treat, and ensure the safety of elder mistreatment victims while also collecting evidence when appropriate and working closely with the authorities. Similar to the child protection teams which exist in many hospitals, the VEPT’s goal is to increase identification, appropriate intervention, and reporting of elder mistreatment while also decreasing the burden on ED and hospital providers in managing these complex and challenging cases.
This program is funded by the New York State Office of Victim Services, and its initial development was funded by the Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation and The John A. Hartford Foundation. Our clinical program also informs and provides information for all aspects of our research.
Publications about VEPT
- Rosen T, Elman A, Clark S, et al. Vulnerable Elder Protection Team: Initial experience of an emergency department-based interdisciplinary elder abuse program. J Am Geriatr Soc. Nov 2022;70(11):3260-3272. doi:10.1111/jgs.17967
- Baek D, Elman A, Gottesman E, et al. Initial steps in addressing the challenges of elder mistreatment evaluation: Protocol for evaluating the Vulnerable Elder Protection Team. BMJ Open. Oct 13 2023;13(10):e071694. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2023-071694
- Rosen T, Mehta-Naik N, Elman A, et al. Improving Quality of Care in Hospitals for Victims of Elder Mistreatment: Development of the Vulnerable Elder Protection Team. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf. Mar 2018;44(3):164-171. doi:10.1016/j.jcjq.2017.08.010
- Rosen T, Stern ME, Mulcare MR, et al. Emergency department provider perspectives on elder abuse and development of a novel ED-based multidisciplinary intervention team. Emerg Med J. Oct 2018;35(10):600-607. doi:10.1136/emermed-2017-207303
- Elman A, Cox S, Gottesman E, et al. The critical role of the specialized social worker as part of ED/hospital-based elder mistreatment response teams. J Elder Abuse Negl. Sep 10 2023:1-11. doi:10.1080/08946566.2023.2255742
- Bloemen EM, Tietz S, Lindberg DM, et al. Elder abuse geriatrics: describing an important new medical specialist. J Elder Abuse Negl.1-17. doi:10.1080/08946566.2024.2339242
- Chang E-S, Bloemen E, Tietz S, et al. ED/Hospital Program Contributions to Community Multi-Disciplinary Team Meetings: Different Models. J Elder Abuse Negl. Mar 6 2024:1-10. doi:10.1080/08946566.2024.2324315
- Bloemen E, Gottesman E, Furfari K, et al. Examining ethical issues that arise in providing ED/hospital care for patients experiencing elder mistreatment and approaches to address them. J Elder Abuse Negl. Jun 12 2024:1-18. doi:10.1080/08946566.2024.2365341
- Bloemen E, Elman A, Baek D, et al. Strategies for Dissemination of ED/Hospital Elder Mistreatment Response Team Model. J Elder Abuse Negl. Dec 20 2023:1-17. doi:10.1080/08946566.2023.2297232