By Marie Thomas
Whatever it is, people who see or suspect it should report it.
June is National Elder Abuse Awareness Month, and Saturday is Flag Day. In recognition of both, the Wood County Department of Job and Family Services, the Wood County Committee on Aging, and the City of Bowling Green partnered to hold a community event Friday.
Our flag represents our nation coming together in unity and with elder abuse, we come together as a county to fight it, said Maureen Veit, who works with adult protective services within Wood County Job and Family Services.
There were 388 investigations into elder abuse, neglect, self-neglect, and/or exploitation in Wood County in 2024, which was an increase from 2023 when there were 315 investigations and in 2022 when there were 310.
This year we are on the same track, Veit said, and explained there were many more cases reported than investigated.
“Our goal is to try to help seniors in Wood County to be able to remain as independent as possible and as safe as possible,” she said.
Veit said after the program that the abuse numbers were low in Wood County, and it was financial exploitation that was growing. Unfortunately, many in that case are scammers and there’s no one to prosecute.
“People don’t realize we also self-neglect. That would be someone living alone and not caring for themselves,” she said. “Maybe they don’t know what’s out there or they don’t have family or supports.”
Veit said people also don’t realize that adult protective services needs to go to Probate Court Judge Dave Woessner to get an elder safe.
Woessner, who was the featured speaker, said an increasingly important part of his jurisdiction is the protection of the elderly.
Elder abuse is defined as an intentional act or failure to act that causes or creates a risk of harm to an older adult aged 60 years or older, he said.
Elder abuse can include physical or emotional abuse, psychological abuse or financial exploitation, neglect and abandonment, Woessner said.
Perpetrators can include children, other family members, as well as others with access, he said.
He said that the 388 cases investigated in 2024 was a 38% increase from the 281 assessments completed in 2019.
“It is pretty much understood those numbers are certainly underreported just given the nature of what we deal with,” he said.
His court has a lot of tools available to address elder abuse, whether it is ensuring that an individual’s power of attorney is valid, determining whether the individual needs the assistance of a guardian or mental health services, and whether the adult has been a victim of abuse, he said.
Concerns can only be addressed when they are raised and reported, he said, and nothing will replace the observation of family, friends and neighbors who have seen something that may not look or feel right.
Phone calls, stopping by the say hi, offering to get groceries or run an errand are all ways to show we care and to observe, he said.
“Elder abuse is a topic that deserves our attention not just for a day, not just for a month, but for 356 days a year,” Woessner said.
Words like dignity and respect apply to all people regardless of their backgrounds and age, said Mayor Mike Aspacher.
“It saddens me to think in this great nation, we have issues like elder abuse taking place in our communities,” he said.
He thanked those who have come forward to report cases of abuse and alerted those who are able to help.
“I think we can all agree. We’d like to see the number of reports of elder abuse reduced to zero,” Aspacher said. “Not because we are silent or afraid of coming forward but because we’ve done all that we can do to prevent it from happening in the first place.”
Raising awareness among family, friends and neighbors will help reduce acts of disrespect and mistreatment of elderly citizens, he said.
“We are all responsible for building safer communities for our neighbors and reaching out to help senior citizens continue to maintain quality of life by respectfully keeping an eye on them and reporting any signs of abuse or related concerns,” he said.
Commissioner Ted Bowlus said the National Council of Aging estimates 5 million older Americans each year are victims or abuse, neglect or financial exploitation.
Wood County seniors are valued members of our community, connecting us to the past and helping us meet the challenges of today, he said.
Seniors have the right to live their golden years with dignity and respect, he said, and he encouraged all residents to take an active role in the lives of our elders.
If you suspect abuse of an older adult, you can call Wood County’s Adult Protective Services hotline at 419-354-9669 to make a report. The line is open 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
Aspacher also read a proclamation in recognition of Flag Day.
The American flag was adopted on June 14, 1777, and in 1949, that date was designated National Flag Day, Aspacher said.
“Flag Day celebrates our nation’s symbol of unity and stands for our country’s devotion to freedom and the rule of law and equal rights to all,” he said.
State Rep. Haraz Ghanbari shared his experience driving to Buckeye Boys State Thursday with 92-year-old Joe Stockner, who spent 40-plus years as part of Boys State.
He said there is a city named Stockner at Boys State and when he introduced Joe the members of the city went berserk.
“From my perspective, there’s a lot that we can learn from our older generations and there’s a lot they can learn from us,” he said.
He shared how the folded flag is the last piece family members have of their fallen loved ones.
“When we fold that flag and we present that flag, we get down on one knee … (we say) please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one’s honorable and faithful service,” he said.
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Elder abuse takes many forms; if you see it, report it
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