By BARBARA COTTER
THE GAZETTE
March 20, 2010
Abused and frail seniors in this community soon will have a safe place other than a hospital to go when they are in crisis.
A coalition of agencies that’s been meeting for about five years to address elder abuse issues in El Paso County is celebrating the advent of a pilot program to provide emergency placement for seniors too frail or incapacitated to go home or take advantage of other shelter options.
Sunny Vista, a nonprofit senior care center, will serve as the placement center, and administrator-in-training Ashley Jones expects to start accepting elder abuse victims within a few months, once organizers have coordinated with hospitals and other emergency providers.
”It’s huge. It’s one of our most pressing needs,” said Colorado Springs Police Lt. Howard Black, a participant in CALL -Coalition to Address Abuse in Later Life - meetings. “For us to have the ability to have a placement for somebody who is in crisis is huge.”
Protocol has been for abused seniors to go to hospitals and have someone arrange for them to stay there, if possible. But CALL members said that has burdened hospitals and hasn’t provided victims with a coordinated system of care.
“This will solve a lot of problems surrounding people who can’t take care of themselves. It will solve a lot of the hospitals’ problems, too,” said Terri Anderson, director of operations forSilver Key Senior Center and a CALL organizer. “Instead of the burden being on the hospital, we’d be moving them into a safe place where they can get care if needed. Then we can get involved and help them get into a stable situation – independent living or skilled care. It’s that coordination to make sure they’re not ending up back with the abuser.”
Elder abuse resources
To report cases of suspected elder abuse, contact your local law enforcement agency or call Adult Protective Services at 444-5755.
To learn more about elder abuse, including signs that could indicate abuse, go to the Web site of the National Center on Elder Abuse:
Abridged
SOURCE: The Gazette
_________________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search Right Col/Labels for More Posts/Resources
No comments:
Post a Comment