By Jason Sweeney
The Daily Review
1/23/2009
SAN LORENZO — Elder abuse is a widespread problem that has largely remained hidden because of a lack of public awareness, attorney Kirsten Voyles told a crowd of about 20 people Wednesday at the San Lorenzo Library.
"Elder abuse, I'm hearing lately, is the new child abuse," said Voyles, a staff attorney for Legal Assistance For Seniors, an Oakland-based nonprofit that provides free legal services in Alameda County to people 60 years old and older.
The Alameda County Library's Older Adult Services program invited Voyles to give the talk at the library.
Much like child abuse before it, elder abuse is a societal problem that hasn't always received a proper amount of attention, Voyles said. But that has been changing in recent years, she said.
Senior citizens can be become victims of financial, emotional, physical and sexual abuse most commonly at the hands of family members and caregivers, she said. And in these hard economic times, when more family members are moving in together and more caregivers are strapped for cash, the opportunities for elder abuse are increasing, she added.
Crowded living conditions can cause "lots of anger and frustration," which can result in the elderly being abused, Voyles said.
A common form of financial elder abuse occurs when a senior citizen gives someone power of attorney, and that person then bilks the senior of their assets, Voyles said. She advised the elderly to be cautious when choosing who gets power of attorney, and only choose someone who can absolutely be trusted.
Psychological and emotional abuse of elders is also on the rise, she said.
If elder abuse is suspected, call Legal Assistance For Seniors at 800-393-0363 or Adult Protective Services at 510-577-1900.
For more information about the library's Older Adult Services program, visit seniors.aclibrary.org.
Abridged
SOURCE: Tri Valley Herald - Walnut Creek,CA,USA
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