West Virginia recognizes June as elder abuse awareness month

Elder Abuse Awareness Month, established by the Administration on Aging, is dedicated to raising awareness in the face of many important issues surrounding elder abuse, including physical, financial and emotional aspects, said the bureau’s press release.

“No senior should have to suffer at the hands of a caregiver or family member,” said Robert E. Roswall, commissioner of the West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services. “Unfortunately, it continues to be crucial that we do all that we can to shine a spotlight on this subject and assist where there is need.”

The events will feature Dr. James J. Bulot, a gerontologist and associate director, Government Healthcare Solutions with Navigant, as guest speaker. They will also include remarks from Karen L. Bowling, secretary of the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources; and representatives of law enforcement from Boone and Cabell counties. A special recognition will be presented in support of passage of Senate Bill 361, which prohibits people who have committed crimes against the elderly from performing any court-ordered community service involving the elderly.

The problem of elder abuse is getting worse as more of the population lives to be older, said Michelle Dean, program manager, Bureau for Children and Families, West Virginia DHHR.

“In 2015, West Virginia received 14,000 cases of suspected abuse, neglect and financial exploitation,” said Dean. “With our rapidly increasing elder population, medical costs associated with elder physical abuse is about $5.3 billion a year.”

Financial exploitation is also a big issue; nationally it costs victims $2.9 billion a year, she said.

West Virginia offers services for victims of elder abuse, including therapy if victims have experienced trauma, neglect, physical or mental abuse, Dean said.

Education is especially important because elders are often afraid to report abuse, she said.

“The perpetrators are often family members of the victims, so the victims are fearful to report. They have an internal conflict because they don’t want to report their loved ones,” Dean said.

State services also include home-living assistance, domestic violence services, temporary housing, assisted living programs, adult family care programs, lower functioning foster homes, legal assistance through Legal Aid or Senior Legal Aid of West Virginia, crime victim advocates, and Meals on Wheels, which provides a hot meal to seniors who often don’t have food in the house, she said.

For those wishing to report suspected elder abuse, the DHHR has a centralized intake system where people can report 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The number is 1-800-352-6513.