Page 2 - Senior Times South Central Michigan - June 2020 - 27-06

Page 2 Senior Times - June 2020
ELDER ABUSE – KNOW THE SIGNS
By: Tim Mitchell, Senior Care Partners P.A.C.E.
Bill and his wife, Joy, had been happily married for 52 years when she died. They had one son, Ken, with whom Bill was close, but Ken was often away. Without Joy, Bill’s life seemed empty and he began having trouble finding the energy to take care of himself. A neighbor, Susan, who was 40 years his junior, befriended him. She cooked meals and ran errands for him and also would take him to the movies, restaurants, and on other outings. Soon she became the central person in Bill’s life.
abuse? You should report an incident if you suspect or have reasonable cause to believe that physical abuse, emotional abuse, sex-
ual abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation has occurred. Anyone can file a report, and should, if elder abuse in any form is suspect- ed. A report does not have to be based on eye- witness accounts, incriminating statements, or definite proof of abuse.
At first Ken was happy that his father had company and was getting out of the house. However, after a period of time he realized his father was giving Susan expensive gifts and large sums of money. When Ken asked his father about these gifts, Bill was unaware of them. Ken became alarmed that Susan was manipulating his father to get money and was so skilled at it that Bill wasn’t even aware it was happening. Based on his suspicion, Ken began calling various agencies. Not knowing who to call, he began by calling the police, then a few other agencies, which eventually led him to Adult Protective Services (APS) where he received assistance to rectify the problem.
1. Physical abuse – Warning signs include bruises, burns, broken bones, or pressure marks.
If you suspect elder abuse, you should make a report. You can report suspected abuse by calling the Adult Protective Services (APS) statewide Centralized Intake Unit: 855-444- 3911 (toll free). The Intake Unit operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The scenario above is a true story reported by APS. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for vulnerable older adults to be taken advan- tage of by people and often by those who are close to them. So, it’s important to know the warning signs. Elder abuse comes in many forms and various degrees. In a broad sense, it can be defined as intentionally causing harm to a vulnerable adult or placing them at seri- ous risk of harm. There are five main types of elder abuse.
As with abuse cases in any age category, elder abuse is extremely under-reported and
is a crime that can result in civil and criminal penalties through specific laws designed to protect vulnerable adults. As the number of Baby Boomers entering their senior years con- tinues to increase, the number of elder abuse cases will also likely grow. Unfortunately, in two out of every three cases of elder abuse the abuser is a family member.
To learn more about how Senior Care Partners P.A.C.E. can help you or a loved one live safely at home, please call (269) 441- 0203 or visit www.seniorcarepartnersmi.org.
2. Emotional abuse – Warning signs include withdrawal from normal activities, changes in concentration, and depression.
If you suspect an elderly person is being abused, neglected, or exploited and the person is a resident of an adult foster care home (AFC), home for the aged (HFA), or a skilled nursing home (SNF), in addition to filing a report with APS you may also take other action, such as filing a complaint with the state agency that regulates the facility.
3. Neglect – Warning signs include bedsores, pressure sores, unattended medical needs, failure to alleviate pain, and poor hygiene.
4. Sexual abuse – Warning signs include bruising of the breasts or genital area.
5. Financial exploitation – Warning signs include unusual activity in bank accounts, missing personal items, and changes to wills, powers of attorney, or other legal documents.
At Senior Care Partners P.A.C.E., the safety of our participants is of utmost importance. The goal of the organization is to help older adults live “safely” in their own home for as long as possible with the assistance of our team of healthcare professionals. As a result, we have multiple staff members, including an entire team of social workers, watching out for the well-being of each of our participants.
What should you do if you suspect elder
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