By GLEN GRAYMAN, M.D.
SPECIAL TO THE DESERT SUN
JULY 28, 2009
The most recent local data collected, analyzed and published by the Palm Desert-based health research organization HARC (Health Assessment Resource Center), provides an eye-opening look at a vastly underreported crime in our communities: elder abuse.
Abridged
SOURCE: The Desert Sun
One Out Of Six Cases Reported
Human and social services agencies nationwide have long wrestled with the challenges of this hidden nightmare. It is well known that, largely because of shame and embarrassment, only about one in six cases of elder abuse in the U.S. are ever reported to authorities. But HARC took an approach designed to more accurately determine the actual number of incidents in the Coachella Valley, whether reported or not, by anonymously asking the seniors themselves and assuring them of confidentiality.
Perpetrators Usually Known
The National Center on Elder Abuse reports that in almost 90 percent of incidents with a known perpetrator, the abuser is a family member and two-thirds of them are adult children or spouses. As “community sentinels,” we can keep an eye out for our vulnerable loved ones, friends, and neighbors.
Each of us needs to speak up if we have concerns, even if we are not sure.
If one has a sense of immediate danger, calling 911 is always appropriate. If one is less sure, call the Elder Abuse Hotline: (800) 491-7123 and simply state your concerns. Local senior centers, as well as the Riverside County Office on Aging, are also available to answer questions and to give guidance.
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