The mission of the USC Judith D. Tamkin International Symposium on Elder Abuse is to create safe and healthy environments for all older adults, here and across the world, by bringing researchers, practitioners, advocates, thought leaders, lawmakers, and other stakeholders together to share findings, strategize solutions, and help shape and propel the field of elder justice.
The theme of the 2026 Symposium is “The Elder Justice Panorama: Promising Programs, Sustainable Progress, and the Path Forward.” The agenda will address the latest research to practice developments, elder financial exploitation, applied interventions, and abuse and neglect in licensed facilities.
Registration
Registration is Now Open
The symposium is a boutique event and registration is limited to 200. Reserve your spot now!
- Early bird rate: $475 (register on or before October 31, 2025)
- Regular rate: $525 (register on or before November 1, 2025)
- Student rate: $350
Continuing Medical Education Accreditation Statement
The Keck School of Medicine of USC is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Credit Designation
The Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California designates this live activity for a maximum of 13.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim the credits commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Speakers*
Dr. Thomas R. Cole is Director of the Center for Spiritual Direction at Congregation Beth Israel in Houston as well as Emeritus Professor and Past Director of the McGovern Center for Humanities and Ethics at the McGovern Medical School in Houston.
Dr. Cole’s work focuses on how society and the medical field view aging and the ethical practice of medicine. A medical humanist and cultural historian, he is a prolific and award-winning author and filmmaker.
Exploring his spiritual evolution, he is currently completing a spiritual memoir, tentatively entitled My Journey to the Angels: Towards A Spiritual Renewal (expected release 2026).
MT Connolly is a leading national expert on elder justice, a MacArthur “genius” grant awardee, and author of the 2023 book, The Measure of Our Age: Navigating Care, Safety, Money, and Meaning Later in Life. She was the architect of the federal Elder Justice Act, founder of the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative, and lead author of the Elder Justice Roadmap, shaping federal, state, and local research, policy, and practice.
She is also co-designer of the community-based “RISE” model intended to introduce holistic, hopeful, and effective ways to empower older adults, reduce harms, and promote elder justice.
Dr. Duke Han is a Diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology in Clinical Neuropsychology, a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and the National Academy of Neuropsychology, and a tenured Professor of Psychology, Family Medicine, Neurology, and Gerontology at the University of Southern California (USC).
Dr. Han focuses on factors that impact cognition and decision making in aging. He directs his own research lab and serves as the Editor-In-Chief of The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences, Co-Director of the Scientific Research Network on Decision Neuroscience in Aging, and Co-Leader of the Research and Education Core for the USC Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.
Dr. Jennifer Storey is a Registered Forensic Psychologist and an Associate Professor in Forensic Psychology at the University of Kent (UK). Her research is on the assessment and management of violence including older adult abuse, stalking, and intimate partner violence. This work has been funded by national and international organisations like the World Health Organization and UK Home Office.
She is the author of a violence risk assessment tool for the abuse of older people called the Harm to Older Persons Evaluation or HOPE which aids professional is assessing risk level and managing cases of older adult abuse. Her research has an applied focus and includes working closely with and training practitioners including police, judges, social workers, health and mental health professionals.
*In formation
Posters
The USC Judith D. Tamkin International Symposium on Elder Abuse seeks submissions that explore “The Elder Justice Panorama: Promising Programs, Sustainable Progress, and the Path Forward.”
- Poster abstract submission deadline – October 15, 2025
- Abstract notification – Presenters will be notified of abstract status by December 1, 2025
Tamkin Scholar
The USC Judith D. Tamkin International Symposium on Elder Abuse Committee will award travel stipends to two students who demonstrate a strong interest in elder abuse research. The Tamkin Scholar Award is intended to stimulate interest in elder abuse research and facilitate attendance at the Symposium.
- Tamkin Scholar application deadline – October 15, 2025
- Scholarship notification – Applicants will be notified of application status by December 1, 2025
Schedule
Day 1: Thursday, February 26, 2026
- 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM
- 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM | Poster Reception
Day 2: Friday, February 27, 2026
- 7:00 AM – 3:15 PM
Schedule subject to change
Accommodations
The Westin Pasadena
191 N Los Robles Ave
Pasadena, CA 91101
T: 626-792-2727
Sponsorship Opportunities
Support the USC Judith D. Tamkin International Symposium on Elder Abuse as a sponsor and join our esteemed group of attendees in the field of elder justice. For more information on the different opportunities, please contact elderjustice@med.usc.edu.