Officials: Pa. elder abuse up; resources aren't
Paralleling a national trend, nearly 800 cases of elder abuse were reported last year in Chester County - a 35 percent jump over the previous year, the county said Friday.
Paralleling a national trend, nearly 800 cases of elder abuse were reported last year in Chester County - a 35 percent jump over the previous year, the county said Friday.
Also on Friday, the Pennsylvania Department of Aging published a draft of its State Plan on Aging, a strategic plan it develops every four years to address issues faced by Pennsylvanians 60 and older. The state has the fourth-highest percentage of that age group in the country.
Among other things, the plan calls for improving data collection on abuse reports, expanding protective services for the elderly, and getting the word out about services available.
The department says there were more than 20,000 cases of elder abuse in the fiscal year that ended June 30. Officials said that was an increase over the previous years, but comparable figures were not available.
County officials and advocates for the elderly nationwide argue that protective resources are wanting even though elder abuse is more common than child abuse.
The two populations "are equally vulnerable," said Cindy Willison, a supervisor at the Chester County Department of Aging Services.
At least one in 10 people 60 or older are victims of some type of abuse, according to federal statistics, and research shows abuse is underreported.
"If people knew about [elder abuse] and knew how prevalent it was, I think people would say, 'How could you not have the resources?' " Willison said.
Elder abuse includes neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and financial exploitation. Most of the perpetrators are family members, according to federal statistics.
The fact that reported cases of elder abuse outnumber those of child abuse or domestic violence "absolutely shocks people," said Kathleen Quinn, executive director of the National Adult Protective Services Association.
The number of cases nationwide has been growing each year, partly due to increased public awareness and a growing elderly population. By 2030, nearly one in five people in the United States will be 65 or older, according to census figures.
"I think the sheer numbers are hitting people in the face," Quinn said.
This year, Congress doubled funding for the Elder Justice Act, which supports federal and state agencies' efforts to prevent and treat abuse, to $8 million. Advocates say they need more to adequately serve the estimated five million older Americans who are victims of abuse every year.
With more funding, the Chester County agency said, it could hire a forensic accountant to help investigate complex cases of financial exploitation, the most common form of elder abuse. Older Americans lose roughly $3 billion each year this way.
A national initiative - the first of its kind - is underway to collect data from each state to gather more detailed information about the numbers and types of elder abuse cases, available services, characteristics of the victims and the perpetrators of abuse, and outcomes of cases. A report on the data from the National Adult Protective Services Data Reporting System is expected around this time next year.
In releasing its draft report, the state department is asking for written feedback, and plans to hold three hearings this month, including one at Drexel University on May 24.
The state wants to know how it can best increase awareness of elder abuse and protect seniors, said Kirstin Snow, a spokesman for the Department of Aging. The department will implement the plan Oct. 1.
May is Older Americans Month. June 15 marks World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, a call to action launched six years ago by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations.
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