What is Listserve?

The ElderAbuse listserve is a project of the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA), which is funded by the Administration on Aging at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  The University of Delaware, a partner in the NCEA, manages and monitors the listserve. 

The goal of the ElderAbuse listserve is to provide a forum for professionals working in the area of elder mistreatment to share and solicit information to improve prevention and response efforts for elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

Subscription to the ElderAbuse listserve is restricted to professionals working in elder mistreatment to facilitate a secure environment for free and open discourse.  The ElderAbuse listserve is a private listserve and only subscribers can receive, send, and/or retrieve messages to it.

The ElderAbuse listserve is a “monitored,” but not a “moderated” forum.  Messages submitted to the listserve by a subscriber are posted automatically.  However, the listserve manager monitors all postings for inappropriate or disallowed activities.  If you have questions about whether something you wish to post is appropriate, feel free to forward your draft message to the listserve manager.  AoA and the listserve manager have the authority to unsubscribe any person who is misusing the listserve or is exhibiting inappropriate behavior.

Below are the Basic Rules of Conduct for the ElderAbuse list (items in quotations are from L-Soft international, Inc.  February 24, 2006. List Owner's Manual for LISTSERVE®, version 14.5):

• Because the listserve is sponsored by the federal government, it cannot be used to lobby for or against legislation.  Please contact the listserve manager if you are unsure whether a message you wish to post could be considered lobbying.
• The listserve is not intended to be a source of training; however, questions about available training resources are appropriate for posing to the list.
• Please be clear and concise in messages, and limit messages to those which can reasonably be considered to add value to the discussion.
• Please keep in mind that the list is a “closed” list to subscribers only.  Be mindful that sensitive information may be contained in messages and that it may not be appropriate to forward messages that contain identifiable information to people not subscribed to the ElderAbuse listserve.
• In addition, please remember that subscribers do have the ability to forward messages to people beyond the listserve, so exercise caution when sharing personally identifiable information.
• If someone has sent a private message to you, and not to the entire list, please do not post the private mail to the list.
• “Discussions will often result in disagreements. Rebuttals to another person's opinions or beliefs should always be made in a rational, logical and mature manner, whether they are made publicly or privately.”
• “Subscribers should refrain from abusive or derogatory language that might be considered questionable.”
• Unsolicited advertising and chain letters “are generally contrary to appropriate use policies.”

Please feel free to send feedback and suggestions, as well as questions or concerns, to the listserve manager, Sharon Merriman-Nai, at 302-831-3525 or
ncea-info@aoa.hhs.gov