Elder abuse fair empowers seniors, community

Predators looking to make a quick buck off of the many senior citizens in Yuma County might want to think twice. The Yuma County Elder Abuse Task Force has seen to it that about 200 area residents are no longer an easy mark.

On Thursday, the Elder Abuse Task Force and Western Arizona Council of Governments teamed up to host an information fair to empower senior citizens by giving them the tools they need to protect themselves.

It also connected victims of elderly abuse with the resources which are available to help them cope.

The event was held at the Yuma Art Center.

“People came here to find out what their resources are and what their options are,” said Michelle Roden, Hospice Compassus care consultant.

It is important to educate senior citizens about the possibilities of elder abuse, and how to discern scams, said Candy Wheeler-Ruby, Yuma County Public Fiduciary.

“I think it is really good for them to know. When I started working with the Public Fiduciary's Office 15 years ago, I didn't even know there were scams like that out there, and it is unbelievable. They specifically target the elderly, so they definitely need to be aware of what is going on there. There are all kinds of scams in the Foothills. It still happens.”

Strangers aren't the only ones who senior citizens should be aware of, Wheeler-Ruby said.

“I also think they need to be aware that they can't allow their family to treat them like that either. Our statistics are showing that 90 percent of elders are being abused by their own family and it has been everybody's little secret. It is what child abuse was years ago where nobody told.”

Wheeler-Ruby wants the public to be aware of elder abuse and to look in on their elderly neighbors.

“We are wanting to make the community aware,” she said. “If the neighbors are seeing that their elderly neighbor's grandson suddenly moved in and they haven't seen her in a couple of weeks, that is a red flag — something is up. I think it is real important for them to know that.”

One thing the public can do as good stewards is report any suspicious activity to Adult Protective Services. Their number is 1-877-SOS-ADULT.

“If you report to Adult Protective Services it is anonymous,” Wheeler-Ruby said.

“All they are going to do is come out and take a look. It doesn't hurt. It may be nothing, but it could be, and you could really save that person.”

According to the Elder Abuse Task Force, there are certain signs which may be indications of elder abuse.

They include depression or sadness, unexplained weight loss, unexplained injuries, confusion and hesitancy to talk openly.

Elder abuse, which includes neglect, can seriously damage a person's health, Wheeler-Ruby said.

“The statistics also show that the elders who have been abused live less time. They tend to die quicker because their will to live changes. They just don't want to be there anymore and can't believe they have been scammed.”

Prevention through education is the first step, but victims also need to know they are not alone and shouldn't be ashamed, Ruby-Wheeler said.

“It is two-fold. It is a prevention basis but it is also to let them know where they can go for help. That is what we are trying to do. We want the community to know where they can go to help their neighbor, but we want the neighbor to know where to go to.”

One way to protect the elderly is to sign them up to live in an assisted-living home.

“All assisted-living homes have to be licensed by the state who comes in and does surveys,” said Georganne Erickson, owner and manager of Kindred Homes Assisted Living.

“All the caregivers have to be certified, have an FBI background check and be CPR and first-aid certified.

“These folks are deemed where they can't really live by themselves anymore and they probably have family that lives out-of-state or are working all day and can't be at home to take care of them and meet their level of needs. Kindred Homes is able to provide that service in a home-like environment.”

For more information about Kindred homes call 446-2421.

Roden was satisfied with the turnout to the event.

“I want to thank the community for coming out,” she said. “I hope we can do this more often and get the community more involved because I think it is important to know what they are having issues with, what they worry about and what the needs of the people are. If we don't hear from them then we are not going to know as a task force how we can improve and protect people.”

Chris McDaniel can be reached at cmcdaniel@yumasun.com or 539-6849.