Home > Conferences > The Center for Social Gerontology Community Conference > Keynote Speaker

Keynote Speaker

Navigation

Follow us on Social Media!

woman with short salt and pepper-colored pixie cut, in a black and white striped blouse, standing in front of the US flag.

Pat King, RN

Manager, Forensic Special Initiatives Unit
Division of Aging Services
Georgia Department of Human Services

“Abuse of Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities: Hiding in Plain Sight.”

This session will address and re-frame persistent stereotypes of older adults and adults with disabilities and provide an overview of the types of abuse experienced in the context of aging, stress and trauma.

Biography

Pat King, RN, is a forensic nurse with extensive experience addressing the issue of abuse, neglect and exploitation of older adults and adults with disabilities (adults who are at risk). She is the manager of the Forensic Special Investigations Unit in the Georgia Department of Human Services, Division of Aging Services. Her specific areas of interest regarding adults-at-risk are suspicious deaths, human trafficking for monthly benefits, and trauma-informed care.

King has consulted on numerous fatal neglect cases at the request of prosecutors and investigators. She developed and is the lead instructor for the one-day course for clinicians called “Impact: Informing Multidisciplinary Practices on Adult Abuse Concepts and Trends.” She conducts monthly training to Georgia Coroners on elder deaths. She is a frequent presenter at state and national conferences, and she has co-authored several articles on various aspects of abuse against adults-at-risk. She recently returned to school to obtain her master’s in nursing in forensic nursing.