Answer to Question 1
Elder abuse and neglect is a major underreported problem. The Elder Justice Act, passed by the US Congress and signed into law by President Obama in 2010, provides federal resources to protect older persons from abuse and neglect. The action steps in the law are as follows: establish an elder justice coordinating council, create elder justice programs, study laws relative to elder abuse and neglect, and ensure that enough resources are available to investigate and prosecute perpetrators.
Answer to Question 2
When children leave home, emotional bonds are disrupted. Mothers of all ethnic backgrounds report feelings of sadness when children leave home. But, they also report many positive feelings about the potential for growth in their relationships with their children. Many parents continue to provide a considerable amount of emotional and financial support once children leave home. A positive experience when launching children is related to a sense of a job well done and that their children turned out well. The empty nest period may be short lived, however, because at least half of children return (boomerang) at least once to their parents' home after moving out.