Data

There have been several projects developed through the National Indigenous Elder Justice Initiative (NIEJI) which will result/have resulted in valuable information and data.

Tribal Elder Abuse Services Survey

The Tribal Elder Abuse Services Survey is a research study focusing on perceptions and availability of community Elder services, such as:

  • Case management
  • Elder abuse coalition
  • Elder abuse codes
  • Judicial system response
  • Legal assistance, including guardianship, power of attorney, advanced directives, living will, and do not resuscitate orders
  • Reporting systems
  • Traditional justice practices

Information gathered during the Spring of 2021 will help inform planning for tribal Elder justice programs, develop a tribal Elder justice services online directory and interactive map, and develop training and resources to meet the needs of American Indian Tribes, Alaskan Villages, and Hawaiian Homesteads. The survey is sponsored by AARP.


Native Elder Maltreatment Survey

The Native Elder Maltreatment Survey (NEMS) helps Native American Tribes, Alaskan Villages, and Hawaiian Homesteads to understand the prevalence of Elder mistreatment, neglect, and financial exploitation in their respective communities.

What does the survey assess?
This survey uses the Hwalek-Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Test to assess if Elders are at high risk for mistreatment. The survey also uses the Native Elder Life Scale (NELS), which assesses neglect and financial exploitation. The NELS provides insight on financial abuse, self-neglect, family neglect, and physical and emotional harm by others.

How does NIEJI assist with the survey?
NIEJI provides training and technical assistance to communities to implement NEMS. We will supply paper copies of the survey for your community. And we will assist in data analysis and producing meaningful and culturally informed reports and fact sheets.

What is NIEJI's research approach?
NIEJI's approach is consistent with the Tribal Participatory Research model giving the community decision making and oversight of the research process. NIEJI respects community research practices and data sovereignty. It is your right to determine data collection, ownership, and application of data. NIEJI maintains, with community approval, a de-identified aggregate data set to better understand elder mistreatment, abuse, guide our program services, and scholarly publications. Your community will never be identified in our use of the aggregate dataset.

How can our community use the survey data?
Your community can use the survey data for grant applications to support the need for funding to protect Elders. The survey data provides support for the adoption of Elder abuse codes, education programs, Elder abuse prevention programs and campaigns, Elder Protection Teams/Multidisciplinary Teams, or Elder coalitions. The data can be used to inform the community about the prevalence of Elder abuse.

If you are interested in conducting NEMS you may review the documents or contact our office for more information.

Research Findings from the NEMS Pilot Survey

NEMS Materials