Primary prevention
Those activities that decrease the likelihood of abuse ever happening in the first instance.
Examples
- Educating/empowering persons with disabilities - e.g. sexuality education; communications skills training; self-esteem building
- Providing supports to family caregivers — e.g. respite services; personal care attendants; transportation
- Providing adequate training, support, and supervision for paid caregivers
- Implementing effective screening practices at the time of hire
Secondary prevention
Those activities that reduce the likelihood that abuse will continue or reoccur.
Examples
- Training for mandated and non-mandated reporters on how to recognize and report suspected abuse and neglect
- Effective protective service planning
- Enforcing criminal and civil laws, as a deterrent to further abuse
- Enforcing disciplinary actions, and making referrals to appropriate licensing boards
Tertiary prevention
Those activities that seek, over time, to ameliorate or lessen the harm already done as a result of the abuse.
Examples
- Providing medical and social supports for the victim ( for example, psychotherapy);
- Peer support counseling; adaptive equipment to increase independence, such as wheelchairs or computers
- Legal recourse (for example, assistance in pursuing criminal charges, or obtaining restraining orders)