On Your Side: Missouri’s Lt. Governor Wasinger highlights elder abuse prevention in Christian County

by By KY3 Staff 

OZARK, Mo. (KY3) - Missouri Lieutenant Governor David Wasinger visited Christian County as part of a statewide tour called “Protect our Seniors.”

The tour raises awareness about elder abuse prevention, connects families with resources, and provides an opportunity for Missourians to share their challenges directly. The stop featured presentations from experts, opportunities to connect with local service providers, and listening sessions designed to shape future policy and enforcement priorities.

“There’s a widespread abuse that takes place among seniors,” said Lt. Gov. Wasinger. “You know, you could have memory care units. There’s physical abuse, there’s emotional abuse. There could be financial fraud. So they need somewhere to turn to know they’ve got an advocate in the state government. And if we don’t have the answer, we’re going to find the answer for them.”

Lt. Gov. Wasinger says, along with the tour, they’re working with state representatives to pass strong legislation that advocates for our seniors.

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On Your Side: Missouri’s Lt. Governor Wasinger highlights elder abuse prevention in Christian County 

SENIOR LOKOUT: Self-neglect an often overlooked form of elder abuse

June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month. World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is June 15. It was launched in 2006 by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations.

Elder abuse is a largely hidden and growing problem in the United States. It is defined by law as “an act or omission, which results in a serious physical or emotional injury to an elderly person or financial exploitation of an elderly person, or the failure, inability or resistance of an elderly person to provide for himself or herself one or more of the necessities essential for physical and emotional well-being, without which the elderly person would be unable to safely remain in the community.”

Elder abuse can include physical, sexual and emotional mistreatment, neglect, and financial exploitation. Another form of elder abuse is self-neglect.

In Massachusetts, self-neglect is a serious and reportable component of elder abuse. Older adults who are not successfully able to care for themselves, and who refuse help, are at tremendous risk of ill health and even death. According to a survey of elder care experts, self-neglect among the elderly is a growing problem that commonly goes unreported.

The survey, conducted by the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers, found that self-neglect among seniors is the most common form of elder abuse encountered by care managers. Self-neglect in older adults is a poorly understood problem with public health implications. Although lacking a standardized definition, it is characterized by profound inattention to health and hygiene.

Self-neglect is a complex issue. There are many things that can cause an elder to stop taking care of him or herself, including dementia, depression, disease, poverty and isolation. If an elder is deemed clinically capable of making his or her own decisions, even if there are signs of self-neglect, the individual can choose to refuse help and protective services providers (such as SeniorCare’s Protective Services Department) are bound to respect that decision. For these elders who are capable of making their own choices, there may be a societal and psychological element at play.

Children and animals — whose abuse issues, unlike elder abuse, capture major media attention — are not expected to care for themselves. But an aging adult has different self and societal pressures for self-care. They have spent their adult lives not only caring for themselves, but, in most cases, being responsible for the care of others. Adults moving into a phase of life where they need assistance to be independent can experience a challenge to their self-identity and self-worth. Asking for help can be emotionally and psychologically difficult.

Many older adults who experience a decline in their ability to take care of day-to-day matters fear that asking for help will lead to a loss of independence and possible placement in a nursing home or other long-term care facility. The paradox is that, by accepting help, a person will become more capable of maintaining his or her independence and living at home. SeniorCare’s mission is to provide and coordinate services for elders and others that enable them to continue living at home and in their communities.

SeniorCare and our community partners typically hold elder abuse awareness rallies in communities around the North Shore through the month of June. With the current COVID-19 situation, we are not able to hold those rallies this year. Please help our elder community by keeping your friends and family members in mind and checking on them regularly. Remind them to be cautious of phone calls from possible scam artists. Make sure they know that you are available if a need arises for assistance.

If you ever suspect elder self-neglect or other abuse, please call the Massachusetts-based Elder Abuse Hotline at 1-800-922-2275.

Tracy Arabian is the communications officer at SeniorCare Inc., a local agency on aging that serves Gloucester, Beverly, Essex, Hamilton, Ipswich, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Rockport, Topsfield and Wenham.

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SENIOR LOKOUT: Self-neglect an often overlooked form of elder abuse

Kentucky groups receive awards for elder abuse prevention

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – Two community groups have received awards for their work to stop elder abuse.

Officials say the Department for Community Based Services, presented the awards at a recent conference focusing on elder abuse prevention on the local level.

Kentucky River Council Against Maltreatment of Elders (CAME) and Northern Kentucky Elder Maltreatment Alliance (EMA) each received Public Awareness Initiative awards of $300.

The say the awards recognize the groups for showing a commitment to elder abuse prevention through public outreach from May 2018 – May 2019.

DCBS Commissioner Eric Clark said that local efforts from community groups are making a difference for Kentucky’s senior citizens.

“The work of these councils shows that we can all be a part of establishing well-being for the older members of our communities,” he said. “Through partnership with our local offices and other agencies, the Local Coordinating Councils on Elder Abuse (LCCEAs) are making elder abuse a priority across their multi-county areas. I thank them for their programming that has helped save lives.”

CAME and EMA are part of the state’s network of 22 LCCEAs, which covers 92 counties. The councils provide focused education to their communities to protect the elder population from abuse, neglect and financial exploitation.

Kentucky received 29,249 calls to report abuse, neglect and exploitation of people age 60 and older for state fiscal year 2018, according to the state.

In Kentucky, reporting suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation is the law, and it’s confidential.

The toll-free reporting hotline is 1-877-KYSAFE1 (1-877-597-2331).

Kentuckians can help the fight against elder abuse by becoming involved with their LCCEAs. Membership is free and open to anyone interested in working to prevent elder abuse in his or her community.

Recognize the Signs of Elder Abuse:

If you believe an elderly person is being abused, neglected or exploited, call 1-877-KYSAFE1 (1-877-597-2331), the state’s abuse hotline. If you believe there is imminent risk, immediately call 911 or local law enforcement.

Learn to recognize the following signs of neglect and abuse.

Neglect
• Dirty and uncombed hair; dirty and torn or climate-inappropriate clothes; or offensive body odor
• Hoarding
• Lack of glasses, dentures or hearing aid, or lack of medical care
• Bedsores
• Recent suffering or loss of spouse, family members or close friends
• Obvious malnutrition, dehydration

Physical Abuse
• Frequent injuries such as bruises, burns, broken bones; explanation of the injury seems unrealistic
• Multiple bruises in various stages of healing, particularly bruises on inner arms or thighs
• Experiences pain when touched
• Loss of bowel and bladder control
• Never leaves the house or allows visitors
• Never mentions family or friends

Sexual Abuse
• Evidence of sexually transmitted disease
• Irritation or injuries to the mouth, genitals or anus
• Upset when changed or bathed
• Fearful of a particular person
• Loss of bowel and bladder control

Emotional/Psychological Abuse
• Isolated from family and friends
• Sudden dramatic change in behavior, appearing withdrawn, depressed, hesitant to talk openly
• Caregiver won’t let victim speak for herself or himself
• Caregiver scolds, insults, threatens victim
• Trembling, clinging

Financial Abuse
• Unusual activity in bank account; sudden large withdrawals, expenditures that are not consistent with past financial history
• Use of automated teller machines (ATM) when the person has no history of using ATMs or cannot walk
• A recent will, when the person seems incapable of writing a will
• Rights signed away on legal papers without understanding what the papers mean
• Unpaid bills, such as house payment, rent, taxes or utilities

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Kentucky groups receive awards for elder abuse prevention

Federal funding cuts could be 'devastating blow' to elder abuse prevention

Edward Rice told multiple doctors within a week in June he felt like he was being abused, but nothing was done to separate him from his alleged abuser. Edward Rice was dead a month later. Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean

Reductions in federal funding could be “a devastating blow” to state agencies around the country that depend on federal money to investigate hundreds of thousands of cases of alleged abuse of the elderly, abuse prevention advocates say.

Every state has agencies that depend, at least to some extent, on federal social services block grants to support investigating allegations, which can range from financial exploitation to physical abuse and neglect.

Advocates say there's only growing attention to the issue, and it deserves more resources, not less.

"It’s this kind of insidious problem we have to think about," said Paul Greenwood, the district attorney in San Diego County, Calif., and leading advocate for elder abuse prevention and prosecution who delivered a keynote speech on the topic recently to the state districts attorney conference in Knoxville.

The House passed a budget resolution that included a requirement to reduce spending, largely a recommendation from the House Budget Committee, chaired by U.S. Rep. Diane Black, R-Gallatin.

Ultimately, the forced spending reductions — including to the social services block grants — were removed by the Senate. But they could come up again as Congress prepares to debate a tax reform plan from the Trump administration and how to pay for it.

"Elimination of these funds would mean the elimination and/or reduction of many" of the services provided by adult protective agencies, said Julie Schoen, deputy director of the National Center on Elder Abuse, at the Keck School of Medicine in Alhambra, Calif.

"If funding is discontinued or cut, I cannot imagine what will happen."

In Tennessee, nearly half of the state’s nearly $8.6 million budget for Adult Protective Services comes from that federal grant program. In the last five years alone, the state has received 55,000 reports of alleged exploitation, abuse or neglect.

More than 34,000 of those have warranted a state investigation, an average of about 18 per day. That average is consistent with NCEA figures of about 20 per day, Schoen said.
"Elder abuse is on the rise, and awareness of this issue is also growing," she said.

Tennessee Adult Protective Services officials declined to say what moves could be made if funding is reduced, calling it speculative.

State prosecutors and lawmakers in recent years have created task forces and passed legislation to enhance the crimes committed against the state’s elderly, which are handled by 90 APS investigators statewide, less than one per county.

This past year, that effort was championed by state Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, who has been nominated to a federal judgeship by President Donald Trump.

The legislation was generated in part by a committee established by Gov. Bill Haslam in 2014 and led by Norris. That committee focused on vulnerable adults and has developed legislation to increase criminal penalties for elder abuse.

Lisa Zavogiannis, the district attorney in Tennessee's 31st Judicial District, chairs the elder abuse subcommittee within the state's districts attorney conference.

Zavogiannis said the committee has only reached "the tip of the iceberg" on the issue.

"For so many years it was ignored," she said.

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Federal funding cuts could be 'devastating blow' to elder abuse prevention

Prevention of Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation (Title VII-A3)

Authorizing Legislation: Section 721 of the Older Americans Act of 1965, as amended

• The Purpose of the Program and How it Works
• Data Highlight Extensive Services Provided to Seniors
• Funding History
• Resources and Useful Links

The Purpose of the Program and How it Works

In 1987 AoA established the Prevention of Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation program. Through the program, AoA provides federal leadership in strengthening elder justice strategic planning and direction for programs, activities, and research related to elder abuse awareness and prevention. This program trains law enforcement officers, health care providers, and other professionals on how to recognize and respond to elder abuse; supports outreach and education campaigns to increase public awareness of elder abuse and how to prevent it; and supports the efforts of state and local elder abuse prevention coalitions and multidisciplinary teams.

AoA allocates grants under this program by formula to states and territories based on their share of the population aged 60 and over. States and territories have the discretion to allocate funding among the various activities authorized under the program. They also may choose to distribute the funds to area agencies on aging and local service providers.

To support this important program, AoA provides funding for the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA). The NCEA serves as a national resource center dedicated to the prevention of elder mistreatment, and provides relevant information, materials, and support to enhance state and local efforts to prevent and address elder mistreatment. For an overview of this program, please visit the National Center on Elder Abuse section of the website, or you may go directly to the NCEA website.  (Click to Continue)

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Prevention of Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation (Title VII-A3)

Piscataway Police to Train on Elder Abuse Prevention

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ - More than 140 law enforcement officers from various departments around the state are attending a two-day conference offering instruction on how to protect and assist senior citizens by learning to recognize the signs of psychological, physical and financial abuse.

The Elder Abuse & Exploitation Conference, sponsored by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office is being held Thurs. and Fri. at the Middlesex County Fire Academy in Sayreville.

Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey said law enforcement officers from each of the 28 police agencies in the county, including those from the Piscataway Police Department will be attending.

More than 20 guest speakers will discuss a variety of topics that will help law enforcement recognize and assist senior citizens who are being financially or physically abused by their caretakers.

The keynote speaker will be Deputy District Attorney Paul Greenwood from the San Diego County District Attorney’s office. Greenwood heads that agency’s Elder Abuse Protection Unit.

“When it comes to elder abuse and financial exploitation, our goals are twofold,” said Carey.

“First, in order to prevent crime, we must give support and identify resources available to our seniors and those who care for them,” he said. “Second, where there is evidence of crime, we must aggressively investigate and prosecute those committing these illegal acts.”

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Piscataway Police to Train on Elder Abuse Prevention

NYS Senate Passes Legislation to Investigate Reports of Elder Abuse

The New York State Senate passed legislation on Thursday that would investigate reports of elder abuse and maltreatment, which primarily comes in the form of financial abuse for unsuspecting elderly individuals.

"I believe in investing in programs that work and these multidisciplinary teams have proven to be incredibly successful in the short time that they have been up and running,” Senator Susan Serino, the sponsor of the bill, said in a statement. “By providing access to these programs to seniors across the state, we are taking a major step forward in bringing the issue of elder abuse to light and ensuring that our seniors have access to the resources they need to enjoy their golden years free from harm and safe from abuse.”

Financial exploitation accounts for the fastest form of elder abuse, accounting for an estimated $2.6 billion per year to people aged 60 and older.

The Elder Abuse Prevention Interventions Grant Initiative supported a pilot program that used multidisciplinary teams to prevent that sort of abuse. The pilot program has shown positive results and has seen successful prosecutions of criminal cases involving exploitation.

The multidisciplinary investigate teams include representatives from law enforcement, the District Attorney’s office, bank, physicians, mental health professionals and victim advocacy personnel.

The bill has been sent to the New York State Assembly.

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NYS Senate Passes Legislation to Investigate Reports of Elder Abuse

Groups awarded for elder abuse prevention

FRANKFORT, Ky. (July 16, 2015) — Two community groups have received awards from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) to help their efforts to stop elder abuse.

Kentucky River Council Against the Maltreatment of Elders (CAME) received a Public Awareness Initiative award for $400 and Big Sandy Elder Abuse Council was awarded $250.

CAME and Big Sandy are two of the state’s network of 24 Local Coordinating Councils on Elder Abuse (LCCEAs), which covers 93 counties. The councils provide focused education to their communities to protect the elder population from abuse, neglect and financial exploitation.

CAME operates in Breathitt, Knott, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Owsley, Perry and Wolfe counties. In the past year, CAME has hosted a Senior Safety and Advocacy Day, sponsored a children’s poster contest and launched its annual prevention campaign, which included council representatives’ visits to area senior centers.

The Big Sandy Council includes Floyd, Johnson, Martin, Magoffin and Pike counties. Its work over the past year includes providing fans, brochures, posters and children’s coloring books with a prevention message to churches, businesses, health fairs and other events.

Big Sandy partnered with the Appalachian Research and Defense Fund (AppalReD) for a Domestic Violence/Elder Abuse Awareness conference in October, and about 130 people attended. The theme of the meeting was that domestic violence has no age limit. Proceeds from a silent auction at the conference went to the Big Sandy council and AppalReD.

Kentucky received nearly 24,000 calls to report abuse, neglect and exploitation of people age 60 and older for state fiscal year 2014.

In Kentucky, reporting suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation is the law, and it’s confidential. The toll-free reporting hotline is 1-877-KYSAFE1 (1-877-597-2331).

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Groups awarded for elder abuse prevention