Elder Abuse Gets Boost of Prevention with $907,000

Elder abuse gets boost of prevention with $907,000 grant
by Eric Gonzales / KENS 5
December 5, 2012

Adult Protective Services received more than 13,000 reports for elder abuse last year.

WellMed will partner with APS to screen seniors in an effort to prevent abuse.

A $907,000 grant has been awarded to WellMed to educate doctors and their staff to screen seniors for possible elderly abuse. Elder abuse is taking advantage physically, financially or by neglecting anyone over the age of 65.
The three-year grant from the Department of Health and Human Services will pay for two Adult Protective Service specialists to train WellMed staff on how to recognize the signs of elderly abuse.

Assistant District Attorney Clifford Herberg said, “When a caregiver removes someone from their home, takes them somewhere else and prevents other people from having access to them, that’s a clue that something’s up.”

While APS had more than 13,000 cases of elder abuse last year, they say only 1 in 10 are actually reported.

“What we find is that our senior clients, our senior victims of abuse and neglect really don’t feel comfortable disclosing information about abuse that’s occurred to them. So, what we do find is that they can feel comfortable in the physician’s office,” said Joann Tobias Molina of Adult Protective services.

SOURCE:      KENS5.COM

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