By PETER DAINING
Feb 23, 2010
Holland, MI
An estimated one in 10 adults over age 60 are abused every year, the National Institute of Justice estimates. The grim truth is most of the perpetrators are family or friends of the victim.
“It’s usually someone who is taking advantage of the trust and also taking advantage of the vulnerabilities,” Michigan state trooper Nate Grant said. “Preying on someone’s financial situation.”
Local prosecutors offices don’t keep statistics specific elder abuse cases, but that doesn’t mean it’s not an issue in the Holland area and elsewhere.
“The one thing you don’t want to do is put your head in the sand and pretend this thing doesn’t exist, because this is happening all across the country,” said Bob Blancato, national coordinator of the Elder Justice Coalition.
Many older adults are also afraid to report abuse, according to Allegan County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Marge Bakker.
They might be reliant on the perpetrator for their independence, or they might just not know who to tell.
“We definitely want to stop this,” Bakker said. “We’re hoping we can connect with seniors to tell them there are resources here for them.”
Even when elder abuse cases are reported, they’re often difficult to investigate. For example, if children are charged with taking care of their parent, it’s common to share a bank account so the children can eventually make funeral arrangements.
Once that happens, the temptation grows to start taking money out for personal use, maybe even thinking of it as an early inheritance, Bakker said.
“It is difficult because you have to sort through those trust issues and get to the facts,” Grant said. “You have to prove that these people are being taken advantage of.”
The investigations can be time consuming, even when advocates help the victim.
“Like most of us, the elderly don’t keep the best records, so pouring through records is really very difficult to do,” Bakker said.
But the very things that make uncovering elder abuse difficult make it important.
When someone can’t work up the nerve to contact police, Bakker suggests starting with a familiar face.
“I think seniors are afraid to contact the police right away,” he said. “So they could start by telling someone that they know, maybe a banker or someone at their church.”
To report elder abuse or neglect, call Adult Protective Services Hotline at 1-800-996-6228.
SOURCE: The Holland Sentinel,MI, USA
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