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Celebrate Elderly Abuse Awareness Day at the Covelli Centre
Activities at Covelli Centre 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
YOUNGSTOWN
Because an estimated 5 million older Americans are victims of elder abuse and exploitation each year, the Area Agency on Aging 11 is hosting Elder Abuse Awareness Day today from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Covelli Centre.
Local vendors, health screenings, exhibits, speakers, a light lunch, gift baskets and more will highlight the day.
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine called for Ohioans to recognize Elder Abuse Awareness Day by wearing purple – the color symbolizes victims’ experiences and represents hope for the future.
DeWine said Ohioans should keep in touch with older adults to make it easier to recognize signs of potential abuse.
“By 2018, 30 percent of the population in Mahoning County will be 60 or older, and right now at least 25 percent are,” said Lisa Solley, Area Agency on Aging 11 chief of community relations, wellness and training. “We are an aging community.”
She said the older age group is the target age for abuse crimes and she encourages education to prevent the crime from happening.
According to a study from Community Solutions, that percentage will grow to 34.4 percent by 2030, outnumbering youths under age 20.
Community solutions is a nonpartisan think tank focused on solutions to health, social and economic issues, according to the community solutions website http://www.communitysolutions.com.
Unfortunately, because of how under-reported the crimes against the elderly are, it is hard to correlate a rise in this crime with the growing age group, said Dorothy Barto, Alzheimer’s Assistance and Referral Network director.
“The Ohio Family Violence Prevention Project estimates that 2,683 cases of elder abuse or neglect occurred in Mahoning County in 2014,” the Area Agency on Aging 11 said in a news release.
“Of those, only 256 were reported to Adult Protective Services. ... While anyone can fall victim to fraud and scams, older adults can be easier targets due to living alone, being isolated or suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
Often embarrassment and confusion are reasons behind the under reported crime, officials said.