Training Senior Companion Volunteers to Identify and Report Adult Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation.

Elder abuse is a national public health challenge that can have dire consequences for the older adults who experience it in any form. The Senior Companion Program presents a unique opportunity to address this public health challenge. An in-person training for Senior Companion volunteers across Ohio on how to recognize and report elder abuse was developed, implemented, and evaluated prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Evaluation consisted of surveys distributed prior to and at the conclusion of the training. A total of 302 volunteers were trained with a survey response rate of 76%. While there was significant knowledge improvement in one of the five knowledge items ( p < .000, all other p s ≥ .065), volunteers' subjective rating of their knowledge on abuse significantly improved ( p = .029). Training older adult volunteers working with other community-dwelling adults is likely a valuable strategy to educate and protect against elder abuse.