October 2, 2011 | Read Time: 1 minute
The award: A fellowship from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
About the fellowships: Often referred to as the “genius award,” the fellowship is given annually to people who “have shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits.”
What the winners receive: An unrestricted $500,000 stipend.
The winner: Among the 22 recipients this year was Marie-Therese Connolly, a lawyer who has worked to end physical, emotional, and financial abuse of older adults.
About the winner: Ms. Connolly, 54, was a lawyer for the Department of Justice when she was selected in 1999 to lead its Elder Justice and Nursing Home Initiative, where she says she realized that abuse of older adults was a “huge and hidden epidemic.” She dedicated herself to the cause, she says, because “I couldn’t think of another issue that affects as many people where less is being done.”
Why she won: While at the Department of Justice, Ms. Connolly successfully prosecuted several cases involving abuse and neglect in nursing homes. During her time there she also helped create a research-grant program that deals with abuse of older adults. More recently, Ms. Connolly played a key role in drafting the Elder Justice Act, a bill passed by Congress last year.
Nonprofit ties: She co-founded and now directs Life Long Justice, which coordinates the efforts of those working to fight elder abuse, including researchers, social workers, and policy makers.
Plans for the future: Ms. Connolly is writing a book on elder abuse that she hopes will appeal to a general audience.
Read more about the recipients of this year’s MacArthur fellowships.
