Preventing Elder Abuse Across Borders: Taiwan’s Aging Services Leaders Visit L.A. County to Exchange Best Practices on Elder Abuse Prevention

On August 31, 2026, the Los Angeles County Aging & Disabilities Department (AD) welcomed a delegation of aging services leaders from Taiwan to AD headquarters. 

The group visited as part of Taiwan’s Elder Abuse Prevention and Family Violence Protection-International Exchange Project, representing all counties in Taiwan. Staff from L.A. County’s Adult Protective Services (APS) and APS Integrated Care Services (ICS) programs opened a dialogue on elder abuse prevention strategies and collaborative care and heard from the delegation about Taiwanese practices. 

Noting that APS receives tens of thousands of reports annually, Director Maral Karaccusian underscored the importance of person-centered care in adult protection. “The best way is to build a relationship and rapport with the individual, to say, ‘You are empowered. These are your decisions. How do we focus on you?’” Karaccusian explained. “Sometimes people are defensive or resistant. They don’t think they have a problem. So the question becomes how do we empower the individual? When we say it’s person-centered, it’s about their plan and how they want to find solutions for their own life.” 

The visiting delegation, led by Dr. TsuAnn Kuo, Deputy Superintendent at Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, was particularly interested in L.A. County’s multidisciplinary approach and detailed case management. “L.A. is a model region for diversity and progressiveness,” Dr. Kuo observed. “We wanted to learn how [L.A. County] integrates federal and central government resources to ensure older adults’ safety and dignity. Taiwan is aging rapidly, and we’re facing an increasing number of elder abuse reports and household living problems.” 

Kuo said, “What impressed us is the detailed and preciseness [L.A. County] puts into every single transition and every part of collaboration among all of the different cross-disciplinary entities.” 

Throughout the day, APS and ICS teams shared insights into how cases are reported, investigated, and managed. They discussed the importance of cultural competence, public education campaigns, and ongoing partnerships with law enforcement, healthcare providers, and community organizations. The delegation also learned about the county’s efforts to standardize service goals and provide wraparound case management to older adults after initial crises are addressed. 

Marian Liu, Associate Professor at Purdue University’s School of Nursing and Center on Aging and one of the delegation’s interpreters, reflected on the similarities and differences between the two societies. “Both Taiwan and the U.S. are entering an aged society and facing the challenges of aging population…There are similarities seen in issues like self-neglect, hoarding, and reluctance to accept services.” Liu said. “The delegation may learn from L.A. County’s policy-related ideas such as housing, mandatory reporting and conservatorships to guide Taiwanese policy.” 

When asked about what L.A. County could learn from Taiwan’s aging services, Liu noted the importance of the country’s national long-term care policies, which the United States lacks, “When I talk to my family in Taiwan about challenges of getting [older adults] into the system, I say, ‘At least there is a system.’” 

As the visit concluded, participants on both sides recognized the value of ongoing international learning and collaboration. “It’s a mutual learning opportunity,” Liu added.