DES Recognizes World Elder Abuse Awareness Day – June 15
Every year, one in ten elderly Americans is abused, neglected or exploited-that we know of. Experts believe only one in fourteen cases is actually reported. June 15th is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). The Arizona Department of Economic Security's (DES) Division of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS) urges everyone to watch for signs of abuse, neglect and exploitation and report them, and take measures to protect the elderly.
Since Fiscal Year 2012, DES Adult Protective Services (APS) has seen a staggering 57 percent rise in new reports. At the end of Fiscal year 2015, APS investigated 13,793 cases, a 19 percent increase over the year before. Whether there is actually an increase in cases, or just more people reporting incidents, isn't known.
"It could be a number of factors," said Heather Patnode, APS Bureau Chief. "Certainly, the population has increased."
An increase in the number of cleared cases is good news for APS leaders. Thanks to a comprehensive and targeted approach to case management and additional staffing, APS closed almost as many cases as they investigated-13,394--a 61 percent increase from Fiscal Year 2014. The number of active cases is now around 4,000. Investigators each now have about 35 cases per investigator, which is a significant improvement.
The Department also made improvements to the reporting hotline. They increased the rate of calls answered from 48 percent in April of 2015 to over 70 percent by June of that year.
Most of the cases investigated by APS involve neglect, specifically in the area of self-neglect--elderly individuals who aren't able to care for themselves. In some cases, they may actually have a caregiver, but that caregiver has limited training or experience.
Signs of physical abuse may be more apparent and include bruises, welts, scars, burns or blisters. Unexplained sexually-transmitted diseases should be reported immediately.
Seniors are also vulnerable to financial exploitation. Elderly individuals with impaired cognition may not recognize scams as too good to be true, and turn over money, trusting they'll receive the millions promised them. And unfortunately, it's not just strangers who prey on the elderly. Often, a family member has been granted power-of-attorney, and uses that authority for their own benefit. "There could be someone being denied access to their bank records, someone adding a few zeroes to a check that's been written," said Patnode. "There could be some unexplained property transfers where all the sudden someone doesn't own their home anymore."
Arizona State Long Term Care Ombudsman Beth Woods sends the 25 members of her staff out to the state's adult care facilities where they act as advocates for the elderly and help them resolve complaints of abuse and neglect. Woods also says they've seen in an increase in reports. Though she believes incidents are still under-reported, having her team out to facilities at least every quarter increases awareness.
"We see what's happening; we have conversations with residents," Woods said. "Because our information has to remain confidential, I think they're more willing to share information with us."
"We all play a role in serving and protecting the vulnerable adults of Arizona," said Patnode. "This is not just an APS issue, it's an issue for all Arizonans. Together we want to make sure this is a safe place, and together we can improve outcomes for vulnerable adults."
If you suspect and would like to report abuse, the reporting hotline number is 1-877-SOS-ADULT (1-877-767-2385) and it's available from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Report adult abuse online 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
View a list of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day events in Arizona.
By Connie Weber