Stress in caregivers can also lead to abuse of loved ones, several speakers at the Valley event
June 16, 2009
By Sean Barron
Stress in caregivers can also lead to abuse of loved ones, several speakers at the Valley event said.
The Mahoning Valley is estimated to have the fourth-highest incidence of elder abuse in Ohio. That’s the bad news.
The good news, however, is the region also has plenty of resources and ways for victims to receive help.
It was those services that were a main focus of Monday’s fourth annual observance of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day outside the Mahoning County Courthouse on Market Street in Youngstown.
A few dozen agency and elected officials and others attended the half-hour program sponsored by the Mahoning County Department of Job & Family Services. It featured various speakers who addressed the problems of physical, emotional and financial abuse of those older than 60, as well as exploitation, neglect and self-neglect.
Common warning signs include fractures, dehydration and burns. About 76 percent of burns are because of neglect or abuse, noted Lisa Solley, Area Agency on Aging 11’s chief of communications for wellness and training.
To prevent identity theft or financial abuse, caregivers can call credit-card companies to place flags on the elderly person’s card, noted Solley, who also advised family members looking for outside caregivers to contact reputable agencies that conduct background checks and vet employees.
Roughly 15 million people in the country act as caregivers to parents and in-laws. Such tasks can be stressful, especially in these difficult economic times, said Karen Ambrose, executive director of Senior Independence of Mahoning Valley.
A common sign of stress is depression, which can manifest itself by weight loss, as well as the caregiver’s complaining about inconvenience or a lack of appreciation, she explained.
The economy can lead to an increase in elder abuse, in part because some people who become more desperate are more likely to make poor choices, such as stealing money from an elderly person, Ambrose and Solley observed.
Around 90 percent of elder abuse is unreported, and most is committed by a family member such as a spouse or adult child, noted Kay L. Lavelle, senior services coordinator with the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Department.
The department has collected donated cell phones, any of which senior citizens can use to call 911 in emergencies at no cost, as long as the phone can be charged, Lavelle pointed out.
“It provides an extra safety net,” she added.
The theme that ran through the speakers’ presentations was that regardless of the situation, elder abuse must be exposed.
“Remember, if you know someone who is being abused, then your responsibility is to report it,” said Detective Sgt. Delphine Baldwin-Casey of the Youngstown Police Department. “The worst abuse of any elderly victim is the silence.”
“It’s better to be wrong than sorry,” Lavelle added.
Anyone who suspects financial exploitation also can contact the Mahoning County Probate Court and an investigator will look into the matter, said Judge Mark Belinky of the probate court.
A senior citizens summit is set for 5:30 p.m. June 23 at Choffin Career & Technical Center, 200 E. Wood St. Topics will include guardianship programs as well as preventing abuse by predatory lenders and scam artists.
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