The Elder Abuse Initiative Presented By The Youth
The Elder Abuse Initiative Presented By The Youth Council on Aging
YOUTH COUNCIL ON AGING Allison Daniels, CHS Senior – Inititiave Leader Shawn Costa, CHS Senior – One Billion Rising & Bullying in Schools Faith Perez, CHS Junior – Economics of Women and Economics of Elder Abuse Rhema Rondina, CHS Junior – Battered Women Megan Irish, CHS Junior – Elder Abuse Defined and the Signs Briana Costa, CHS Junior – Global Elder Abuse Allison Daniels, CHS Senior – Closing Request
CREATE COMMUNITY WIDE AWARENESS TO ELDER ABUSE. WE ASK THAT JUNE 15 BE DESIGNATED AS AN OFFICIAL ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS DAY IN CLINTON AND FOR SUPPORT OF A PLAN FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF ALL MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES AND OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT ELDER ABUSE. WE WILL START WITH A 5 MINUTE VIDEO FOLLOWED BY OUR PRESENTATION. PLEASE HOLD ALL QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END.
ONE IN THREE WOMEN ON THE PLANET WILL BE RAPED OR BEATEN IN HER LIFETIME. • 14 February 2013 marked the largest global action in history to end violence against women and girls. • One Billion Rising succeeded in creating visibility and understanding of the interconnection between issues such as poverty, corruption, greed, environmental plunder, imperialism, religious marginalization, immigration, labor, and political repression, and violence against women. • The campaign has already spurred governments to invite local women to the table to discuss the issue of violence against women, garnered unparalleled international media attention and discourse
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT February 11, 2013 - President Obama signed the proposal into law after a 78 -22 vote in the Senate and a 286 -138 vote in the House of Reps. The Violence Against Women laws provide programs and services, including: Federal rape shield law Community violence prevention programs Protections for victims who are evicted from their homes because of events related to domestic violence or stalking Funding for victim assistance services, like rape crisis centers and hotlines Programs to meet the needs of immigrant women and women of different races or ethnicities Programs and services for victims with disabilities Legal aid for survivors of domestic violence
ABUSE OF YOUTH - BULLYING IN SCHOOLS Bullying statistics for 2010 revealed about one in seven students in grades kindergarten through 12 th grade is either a bully or has been a victim of bullying Suicide continues to be one of the leading causes of death among children under the age of 14. Bullycide is a term used to describe suicide as the result of bullying. At Duke University Medical Center, William Copeland says bullied kids were more likely to have anxiety problems such as panic disorder as adults. Kids who were both bullied and also bullied others were more likely to have depression, panic disorder, and suicidal thoughts.
CLINTON PUBLIC SCHOOL POLICY ON BULLYING Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Model Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan and includes the years of professional development and bullying rubrics and procedures created by the staff of the Clinton Public Schools. It is designed to satisfy the requirements of by M. G. L. c. 71, § 37 O, added to chapter 92 of the Acts of 2010, entitled An Act Relative to Bullying in Schools as signed by Governor Deval Patrick in May 2010. Bullying = Bullying Policy in Schools & Elder Abuse = Elder Abuse Policy in Communities •
WOMEN IN POVERTY Women are paid less than men, even when they have the same qualifications and work the same hours. Women are segregated into low paying occupations, and occupations dominated by women are low paid. Women spend more time providing unpaid care giving than men. Women are more likely to bear the costs of raising children. Pregnancy affects women’s work and educational opportunities more than men’s. Domestic and sexual violence can push women into a cycle of poverty. Women are underrepresented in congress Elderly women are 70 percent more likely to be poor than elderly men
WHAT CAN WE DO? Women receive the pay they deserve and equal work conditions. . RE: Lilly Ledbetter Law – Equal Pay for Equal Work Act passed in the Obama Administration. Women have access to higher-paying jobs Women in the workforce have affordable child and elder care, as well as access to quality flexible work and paid family leave Women receive the support they need through expanded tax credits to help meet the costs of raising their families Women receive the support and protection they need to leave violent situations while maintaining job and housing stability Women receive equal representation in congress
THE ECONOMICS OF ELDER ABUSE According to a Met. Life study, the elderly lost about $2. 6 billion to financial fraud in 2009. The nonprofit Investor Protection Trust finds that 20% of Americans over age 65, or 7. 3 million people, have been victims of financial swindles. Montachusett Home Care data supports that 6% of Clinton Elders were affected by some form of elder abuse. It is estimated that an average amount lost by elders exploited by financial fraud is $250 k person. The cumulative affect of lost spending in our local economy is estimated at over $ 3, 250, 000.
Battered Women Syndrome • Constantly being abused physically and mentally by whom she lives or has a relationship with. • The men are usually an alcoholic. • Episodes contains verbal arguments and accusations. • The man would become more abusive when alcohol wears off. • Most women believes that the battering would stop. • The longer a woman is in that relationship, the more they get seriously injured. • About 1 to 2 million women are beaten a year
Symptoms • FIRST PHASE The man acts irritable, edgy, tense • SECOND PHASE Acute violent activity • THIRD PHASE Man becomes apologetic and remorseful; promises to change (until tension builds up again)
Four General Characteristics • The woman believes that the violence is/was her fault • The woman has an inability to place responsibility for the violence elsewhere • The woman fears for her and her children’s life • The woman is always paranoid to her surroundings
Why do these women stay in these relationships? • Believes that they can still make peace • Fears of danger if she does leave • Loss of self-esteem • Threats made by the batterer to her children and herself • Depression or loss for leaving someone • She has no money to take care of herself and/or children
Defining Elder ABUSE What is elder abuse? As elders become more physically frail, they're less able to stand up to bullying. They may not see or hear as well as they used to. Mental or physical aliments may make them difficult to live with.
6 TYPES OF ABUSE 1) Physical Abuse Physical elder abuse is non-accidental use of force against an elderly person that results in physical pain, injury, or impairment. 2) Emotional Abuse In emotional senior abuse, people speak to or treat elderly persons in ways that cause emotional pain or distress.
3) Sexual Abuse Sexual elder abuse is contact with any elderly person without the elder’s consent. 4) Neglect or Abandonment by Caregivers Elder neglect, failure to fulfill a caretaking obligation, constitutes more than half of all reported cases of elder abuse.
5) Financial Exploitation This involves unauthorized use of an elderly person’s funds or property, either by a caregiver or an outside scam artist 6) Healthcare Fraud and Abuse • • • Not providing healthcare but charging for it Overcharging or double-billing for medical care or services Overmedicating or under medicating Recommending fraudulent remedies for illnesses Medicaid fraud
Elder Justice Act -March 23, 2010 The Elder Justice Act is designed to provide federal resources to prevent, detect, treat, understand, intervene in and, where appropriate, prosecute elder abuse, neglect and exploitation
ABUSE OF ADULTS WITH A DISABILITY The Research Says…. • 30% of adults with disabilities who use (PAS) Personal Assistance Services for (ADL) Activities of Daily Living reported one or more types of mistreatments (physical, verbal, financial abuse). • In a study of 342 adult men, 55% of men experienced physical abuse by any person after becoming physically disabled.
CURRENTLY, APPROX 5. 1 MILLION PEOPLE AGED 65 AND OLDER HAVE ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE Characteristics Associated with Mistreatment of People with dementia included: The caregiver’s anxiety, depressive symptoms, social contacts, perceived burden, emotional status, and role limitations due to emotional problems. The care recipient’s psychological aggression and physical assault behaviors.
ABUSE OF RESIDENTS OF LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES RESEARCH INDICATES THAT MORE THAN 40% OF PEOPLE OVER AGE 65 WILL ENTER A NURSING HOME BEFORE THEY DIE The Research Says…. Over 50% of nursing home staff admitted to mistreating (e. g. physical violence, mental abuse, neglect) older patients In a study of 2000 interviews of nursing home residents, 44% said they had been abused and 95% said they had been neglected or seen another resident neglected
Global Abuse
Ø Help Age International- Mission statement: “Our vision is of a world in which all older people can lead dignified, active, healthy and secure lives. ” Ø Aim to make it so the elderly are secured healthcare, social services, economic and physical security Ø They create local and global movements to end age discrimination/abuse Ø Created in 1983 originally by 5 organizations in Columbia, Kenya, Canada, India, and the UK. It has expanded since- they have 80 affiliates and are partnered with over 70 countries
Age Alliance • • Aid seniors, many of whom faced a crisis Professional Geriatric Care Manager – What is a geriatric care manager? They: – Are a human health and services provider – A guide for families with older/disabled family members – Provide peace of mind
UNITED NATIONS • Have created a day devoted to the elderly – Started “International Day of Older Persons” in 1990 by the United Nations General Assembly • 2012 - Called for “Elder Abuse Awareness Day” • On June 15 th • Accepted by World Assembly on Aging • Meant to raise awareness to issues elders face such as abuse, neglect, etc. The Youth Council on Aging wants Clinton to designate June 15 th as Elder Abuse Awareness Day too!
Graph shows how the population of older people is going to expand exponentially over the next decades. Proves how important it is that elders lead good lives with dignity and without abuse.
Other Organizations • National Center on Elder Abuse www. ncea. aoa. gov • Elder Abuse Hotline 1 -800 -922 -2275
Our Plan to Bring Awareness To work with community leaders to recognize June 15 as Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Insure the senior center is receiving funds to train all municipal employees on elder abuse identification and reporting. Join state wide elder justice groups to learn more about great practices.
o Serve on an elder abuse multi disciplinary team or financial abuse specialists team using older American act o Ask the council to hold a hearing on elder abuse o Download the Red Flags handout and distribute
o Promote a senior center protection plan. o Partner with child abuse and domestic violence communities. (school efforts began April 8 th) o Include the needs of victims in the planning process
WE HOPE YOU SUPPORT OUR INITIATIVE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
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