 |
| Carteret County Department of Social Services Adult Protective Services Supervisor Zack Dixon works on one of the many disabled adult abuse cases his office has seen during the coronavirus pandemic. (Cheryl Burke photo) |
BEAUFORT — Carteret County Department of Social Service workers are seeing the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on families, especially on disabled adults and the elderly.
“We’ve seen an increase in the severity of the neglect cases,” DSS Adult Protective Services Supervisor Zack Dixon said Thursday. “Prior to COVID, people were out and about and there was more of a support system for the disabled and the elderly. With COVID and everyone self-isolating, the safety and support has dried up.
“No one is checking in with some of these individuals to make sure they are OK,” he continued.
Because of that, Mr. Dixon said by the time DSS workers are called out to check on individuals, the neglect is extreme.
“No one has been checking to see if these individuals have been out of food, if their lights were cut off or with dementia cases, if they’ve been bathing and cleaning themselves,” he continued. “We’ve found people who were severely emaciated and people living in conditions that were deplorable and unlivable.”
He added that as well as negative physical effects, workers are seeing an increase in mental health issues connected to long-term isolation.
“Depression and anxiety are on a major uptick,” he said. “Isolation is doing much more harm than just physical on the elderly population.”
Mr. Dixon appealed to the community to check on their elderly and disabled adult neighbors to make sure they are safe and check if in need of assistance.
“Even if it’s just making a phone call, you can tell a lot by talking with someone on the phone,” Mr. Dixon said.
DSS Director Clint Lewis added that it’s also good to stop by and check on the individuals.
“It may be just seeing if they need food,” he said.
The APS division handles victims of abuse, neglect and exploitation among the disabled adult and elderly population. Once a suspected APS report is filed, workers investigate the situation and work to provide a healthy and safe environment for the individual.
From July 2019 through June 2020, APS received 236 reports of suspected abuse, neglect and exploitation among the disabled and elderly in Carteret County. This July, APS received 29 reports.
While case workers try to rectify the situation by working with family members, sometimes that is not possible. If it’s determined the person can’t take care of themselves and there are no other options for their health and safety, Mr. Lewis said the individual will become a ward of the state.
“If it’s determined they don’t have the capacity to take care of themselves, and there is no family to help, and they are deemed incompetent, a guardian is appointed and DSS is appointed a third party guardian,” Mr. Lewis said. “It becomes our responsibility to ensure their health and safety.”
Adult Guardian Supervisor Patti Sigmon said DSS has seen an increase in the number of disabled adults in the county becoming wards of the state.
“We normally average between 66 and 68 wards. Right now we have 74 and we have four scheduled court cases that are so bad that I don’t think there is anything else to do but take over. I think we’ll be up to 80 wards by the end of the year.”
Ms. Sigmon said the majority of those who become wards are placed in adult assisted living facilities or group homes. Because of limited space in the county, many are placed in facilities elsewhere.
Those suspecting a disabled adult or elderly person is being neglected, abused or exploited can contact DSS at 252-728-3181.
Full Article & Source:
DSS reports increase in severity of neglect cases among disabled adult, elderly population
No comments:
Post a Comment