The Caregiver Abuse Screen (CASE) is a screening measure for detecting abuse of seniors. It is intended for use with all clients who are caregivers of seniors, whether or not abuse is suspected.
The Caregiver Abuse Screen (CASE) is a screening measure for detecting abuse of seniors. It is intended for use with all clients who are caregivers of seniors, whether or not abuse is suspected. The “Yes” responses on each of the eight CASE items may stimulate discussion that reveals abuse and/or neglect that might otherwise have gone undetected.
In addition to indicating current abuse by caregivers, caregiver responses to CASE may be indicative of tendencies and stresses that could lead to possible abuse in the future. In such cases, a proactive approach to intervention may help prevent the development of abuse.
After a caregiver completes the entire screen, the “Yes” responses are tallied; the more “Yes” responses, the more likely the presence of abuse. Each “Yes” response should also be probed for clinical information. To further assess the situation, the worker should ask the caregiver to explain his or her answer.
Drs. Myrna Reis and Daphne Nahmiash developed the Project CARE screening tools (of which CASE is one) and the intervention model. These were developed in a local community-based health and social service agency (CLSC NDG/Montreal West) to identify suspected abuse victims and to establish preliminary protocols and intervention techniques.
Extracted from Myrna Reis and Daphne Nahmiash, When Seniors Are Abused (Toronto: Captus Press, 1995, pp. 15-26). Reproduced with permission.
