Safeguarding Our Seniors: Recognizing and Preventing Elder Abuse in Colorado

by John Mali

Caring for our elderly loved ones is a responsibility that unites communities across Colorado. Seniors have spent their lives building the foundations of the places we call home, and it’s our collective duty to ensure they live their golden years in comfort, dignity, and safety. Unfortunately, elder abuse remains a pressing issue, often hidden behind closed doors in nursing homes and long-term care facilities.

From bustling urban centers like Aurora to the vibrant community of Boulder, safeguarding seniors is a statewide concern. Understanding the signs of elder abuse and knowing how to take action are vital steps every family should take to protect their loved ones and hold accountable those who fail to provide proper care.

Recognizing the Signs of Elder Abuse

Elder abuse can take many forms, often going unnoticed until significant harm has occurred. For families, understanding the warning signs is the first step toward ensuring their loved ones are safe and well cared for.

Common signs of elder abuse include:

• Physical Abuse: Unexplained bruises, burns, or fractures.
• Emotional Abuse: Sudden withdrawal, depression, or fearfulness around specific caregivers.
• Financial Exploitation: Missing belongings, unauthorized withdrawals, or unexpected changes in legal documents.
• Neglect: Dehydration, malnutrition, poor hygiene, or untreated medical conditions.

In Colorado, families can draw on the strong community connections that exist across the state to support their seniors. Whether in Boulder’s close-knit neighborhoods or Aurora’s bustling urban centers, maintaining regular communication with elderly loved ones and staying attentive to warning signs can significantly improve their safety and well-being.

A Statewide Effort to Protect Seniors

Caring for seniors is a shared commitment across Colorado. Communities like Boulder and Aurora exemplify how collective efforts can address elder care challenges and improve conditions in nursing homes.

Boulder fosters a culture of health and wellness through programs that enhance seniors’ quality of life, while Aurora’s diversity brings unique challenges and opportunities for elder care advocacy. Despite their differences, both cities share the goal of ensuring seniors are safe, respected, and cared for.

Families concerned about mistreatment in Aurora nursing homes can seek justice and explore their options with the help of an experienced Aurora nursing home attorney. By fostering collaboration and staying vigilant, communities across Colorado can create safer environments where seniors can thrive.

Taking Action to Prevent Elder Abuse

Preventing elder abuse requires a proactive approach, combining family vigilance with community and professional support.

Steps families can take to prevent elder abuse:

• Stay Involved: Regular visits and open communication with loved ones.
• Educate Yourself: Learn about residents’ rights and responsibilities of nursing homes.
• Know the Warning Signs: Identify physical, emotional, financial, and neglect-related abuse early.
• Report Suspicious Behavior: Speak up if you suspect abuse.

Education is key to empowering families to advocate effectively. Reputable resources, like the National Center on Elder Abuse’s guide to prevention, provide valuable information on identifying abuse and taking action to protect vulnerable seniors.

Communities also play a vital role by organizing local support groups and hosting informational sessions to raise awareness. By working together, families and communities can ensure seniors live in safety, dignity, and respect.

Resources for Colorado Families

Ensuring the well-being of our seniors requires a collective effort, and Colorado offers a variety of resources to support families in this endeavor. Boulder boasts numerous programs aimed at improving seniors’ quality of life, offering opportunities for social engagement and services like transportation and home assistance. These initiatives strengthen the bonds within the community while helping seniors thrive.

When families suspect mistreatment in nursing homes, knowing when to seek legal help is essential for protecting their loved ones and holding facilities accountable. Professionals with experience in Colorado’s elder care laws can guide families through the process and ensure justice is served.

Statewide programs and support groups provide education, emotional support, and practical assistance to families. These resources ensure that both seniors and their caregivers have the support they need to address challenges and maintain a high quality of life.

Conclusion

Caring for seniors in Colorado requires attention, action, and collaboration from families and communities alike. By understanding the signs of elder abuse, utilizing available resources, and taking timely legal steps when necessary, families can help protect their loved ones and ensure they live with dignity and respect.

Though Boulder and Aurora are different in their makeup, they exemplify the shared commitment of Colorado communities to addressing eldercare challenges. Together, we can foster an environment where seniors live safely and with dignity.

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Safeguarding Our Seniors: Recognizing and Preventing Elder Abuse in Colorado

Bill would tighten background checks for would-be guardians

by Kathleen Steele Gaivin

A bipartisan bill proffered in the Pennsylvania General Assembly is aimed at strengthening guardianship laws and preventing elder abuse for senior living and care residents and other older adults.

Keystone State Sens. Lisa Baker (R) and Art Haywood (D) recently introduced state Senate Bill 506 to provide alternatives to appointed guardianships. The bill would require courts to automatically appoint counsel to individuals going through the guardianship process; consider other, less restrictive alternatives before imposing a guardianship; and institute training and screening of professional guardians. 

“Unfortunately, cases where guardians have stolen or misused money belonging to the people they are legally charged with looking after are not uncommon,” Baker stated.  “We must have capable people step in and protect their financial interests.”

Pennsylvania is one of only eight states that does not automatically appoint counsel to represent alleged incapacitated individuals.

The Pennsylvania Assisted Living Association supports the legislation, Executive Director Margie Zelenak told the McKnight’s Business Daily.

“Employees of personal care and assisted living communities are required to complete criminal background checks to work with seniors. These background checks protect the seniors that live in our communities,” Zelenek said. “Guardians can provide oversight for seniors living in our communities; therefore, it only seems plausible that they are also screened for any criminal history records.” 

The call for guardianship reform is not new in Pennsylvania. In 2019, a group of legal advocates for older adults called for major changes to guardianship laws following an investigative report that found extensive flaws in the way the state handled its background checks and appointments — leaving many nursing home residents, among others, vulnerable to exploitation. At that time, a single guardian serving more than 100 older adults had been charged with multiple felonies related to stealing from them.

“LeadingAge PA supports efforts to protect vulnerable older adults from abuse and exploitation,” President and CEO Garry Pezzano said. “We encourage lawmakers to engage providers and other stakeholders throughout this process to ensure reforms achieve their desired outcome and allow older adults to receive the care and services they need.”

The Legislature’s Aging and Youth and Judiciary committees heard testimony last week from a judge, attorneys, advocates for older adults and disability rights advocates about the bill. Teresa Osborne, state advocacy director for AARP Pennsylvania, testified in favor of guardianship reforms, stating that AARP state affiliates “have played a key role in the enactment of hundreds of new bills to update state guardianship laws and practices so that guardians are aware of their roles and responsibilities.”

Pennsylvania Health Care Association President and CEO Zach Shamberg said the association also supports the bill “in hopes that it can further support older Pennsylvanians by streamlining the guardianship process — if necessary — and generate family members or appointed guardians who will act in the best interest of an individual who is unable to make decisions on his or her own.

“Not all older adults or adults with disabilities have family members who can look out for them, and not all family members have the best interest of their loved one in mind,” he added. “This legislation would create more avenues in assigning guardianship, but also better training and screening to ensure we have the right guardians making decisions on behalf of older Pennsylvanians.”

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Bill would tighten background checks for would-be guardians

Guest column: Preventing elder abuse through information sharing

By Brian Maienschein

California’s population of individuals over 60 is projected to grow faster than any other age group. By 2030, one-quarter of California’s population will be an older adult, with approximately 10.8 million reaching this age marker. Given this statistic, the recent rise in elder abuse cases is particularly alarming.

An increased prevalence of elder abuse, including financial exploitation; emotional, physical and sexual abuse; as well as neglect are just a few types of abuse older and dependent adults have increasingly endured. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Population Projections, the number of Americans aged 65 or older may be reluctant to report abuse themselves due to fear of retaliation, lack of physical and/or cognitive ability to report, or because they do not wish to get their abuser in trouble.

Brian Maienschein

(Courtesy photo)

In the midst of the rise in elder abuse cases, an increase in the circumstances involving substandard Independent Living Facilities (ILFs) has also been uncovered. ILFs are unlicensed facilities that provide housing to multiple individuals in one residence. Unfortunately, some of these facilities provide extremely substandard care, which oftentimes legally constitutes as elder abuse.

The cost of licensed facilities have risen along with the demand for the level of care they provide, and many vulnerable low-income older adults are forced to rely on ILFs to meet their needs. For licensed facilities, local Adult Protective Services agencies can easily share information with a licensing agency regarding abusive reports. However, since ILFs are unlicensed, it is often local code compliance departments, not licensing agencies, who shut down substandard facilities with violations.

I am taking action to combat elder abuse and substandard care in Independent Living Facilities throughout San Diego County and across California. My bill, AB 636, will allow Adult Protective Services to share information with code enforcement agencies and their attorneys for the sole purpose of highlighting and investigating substandard care in ILFs. AB 636 will also clarify the list of law enforcement agencies to allow a federal law enforcement agency, charged with the investigation of elder or dependent abuse, access to information in cases where they have jurisdiction.

In recent years, the San Diego County’s Health and Human Services Agency, Adult Protective Services has worked to investigate and protect older and dependent adults who are residents of unlicensed facilities that are providing substandard care. However, due to current law, Adult Protective Services has had the ability to assist in these efforts without a court order. Adult Protective Services has investigated numerous situations where elder and dependent adults were residents in ILFs providing extreme substandard care in recent years.

Rooms with multiple bunkbeds and bedsheets hanging from ceilings in rooms creating makeshift walls are just a few examples of ILFs packing rooms full to fit as many residents as possible. The county found several other disturbing conditions throughout their investigations. In one case, a facility had faulty wiring problems, creating hazards such as hot electrical wires running through shower water, which shocked anyone who took a shower. In another case, a facility had gates locked from the outside, preventing residents from being able to leave if there was a fire or other emergency, while also preventing first responders from gaining access quickly.

Current law states that Adult Protective Services is only permitted to share investigative information with local law enforcement agencies, including local police, sheriff deputies and probation officers. The lack of information sharing with code enforcement agencies puts a direct halt on proper investigations into ILFs, which lets the substandard level of care some of them provide slip through the cracks.

California cannot continue to allow the operation of Independent Living Facilities providing substandard care. The conditions so many older adults are enduring in these facilities is appalling. Across the United States, federal, state and local law enforcement agencies coordinate on cases that cross state lines and prey on senior citizens. California needs to modernize current law in order to do all we can to protect older adults, and I am confident that my legislation will help us accomplish this.

Maienschein represents the 77th District in the California Assembly. The district includes Poway, Rancho Bernardo and 4S Ranch. 

 

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Guest column: Preventing elder abuse through information sharing

Preventing elder abuse is a community initiative with a community solution

Financial exploitation is among most common forms of elder abuse.

I proudly display a bumper magnet that reads “No Excuse for Elder Abuse,” which rings true to my passion for preventing elder abuse. I often tell my colleagues and family and friends that the state of Maine is among the states in the nation with the oldest residential population, which always surprises them.

In fact according to U.S. News & World Report, seven states have a median population age above 40: Maine, Vermont, West Virginia, New Hampshire, Florida, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. It’s pretty amazing to think about Maine like Florida in this regard. I ask you: “What will you do with this newfound knowledge? Will you become an advocate for the elderly?” I did.

My grandmother, who lives in Florida, was victimized, and my living in Maine made it extremely difficult to help her. She lived alone while enduring the early stages of dementia, which made driving difficult. She had a handsome and friendly next door neighbor she would speak highly of, who offered to help her out. He certainly did help her out, while helping himself to the tune of $20,000. It took our family some time to realize what was happening to her finances and to convince her to let us help her; however, by then much damage had already been done.

What if I had known the warning signs and red flags for financial exploitation? What if I had been able to act sooner? What if someone at her local bank could have helped her? Would any of these have made a difference? I say yes.

Financial exploitation is among the most common forms of elder abuse. In fact, financial exploitation is self-reported more than emotional, physical and sexual abuse or neglect at a rate of 41 per 1,000 surveyed. There is a significant cost associated with financial exploitation, which robbed elders of an estimated $2.9 billion in 2009, the most recent year for which we have data.

It is imperative that education and awareness are the primary focus for our elderly residents, anyone who works with these individuals, and family members of older adults. Preventing elder abuse is a community initiative with a community solution. Prevention needs to include our law enforcement, health care providers, churches, banks and credit unions and victim advocates. It is imperative to support and fund grassroots efforts that involve a variety of disciplines working together toward ending elder abuse in Maine.

I didn’t know such groups existed until I was asked to join the Education and Awareness Committee, which is part of the Maine Council for Elder Abuse Prevention. This group has provided me a means to promote elder abuse prevention throughout the state. Its grassroots efforts and interdisciplinary collaborations helped to foster an environment that embraced the Senior$afe project, which has become a trusted resource for many Maine financial institutions.

Senior$afe is a collaborative project between Maine financial institutions, Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulation and the Office of Aging and Disability Services. Senior$afe is an informative brochure, accompanied by training for frontline bank and credit union staff, that teaches Mainers about protecting their money and financial accounts from scams, exploitation and identity theft. This brochure provides the reader with resource contact numbers, assessing vulnerabilities and some quick tips on protecting their finances. This information is applicable to all ages, but has a focus on the seniors in our state.

We all have the basic right to age with dignity and to do so with the assurance of our safety, whether it is physical, emotional, mental or financial. I want us all to promote a culture of loving community and our older Mainers. Many of our community members are already older adults and we all will be elders one day. The time to make a difference is now. Let’s start treating our future selves and Maine’s older adults with the dignity and love they deserve.

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Preventing elder abuse is a community initiative with a community solution