Please report all cases of elder abuse in our midst

Please report all cases of elder abuse in our midst

We at the Adult Protective Services Unit of the Mahoning County Department of Job and Family Services would like to thank The Vindicator for the editorial on elder abuse published June 17. The editorial was in recognition of International Elder Abuse Awareness Month and discussed the growth of the senior population in our region, along with the incidence of abuse.

The Adult Protective Service Unit has seen an increase of cases of abuse, neglect, self-neglect and exploitation in our county. Elder abuse occurs among all socioeconomic classes, races and genders, and it is estimated that only about 1 in 5 incidents of maltreatment is reported.

Social workers investigate allegations daily of elder abuse. Adult Protective Services of Mahoning County is the only mandated agency by the state to investigate suspected cases of elder abuse.

The investigation process may involve and not be limited to collaboration with probate court, guardianship, police departments, physicians, placement facilities, Area Agency on Aging 11 and many other area agencies.

All of this is an effort to protect and enhance the lives of our seniors. Their abuse and mistreatment cannot be tolerated. This is a worldwide epidemic and cannot go unnoticed.

Our seniors are often referred to as the ‘‘forgotten population;” therefore, everyone should be cognizant of their existence and treat them with dignity and respect. They are the foundation of our society.

Seniors are living longer and therefore we know the numbers of abuse cases will never decrease. Elder abuse must be known and recognized in our community as a very serious issue.

The implementation of the APS can only succeed if the entire community will help to prevent elder abuse.

Cases of abuse, neglect, self-neglect and exploitation should be reported to Mahoning County APS at 330-884-6952.

Krishmu Shipmon, Youngstown

Shipmon is the administrator of the Adult Protective Services Unit of the Mahoning County Department of Job and Family Services.

Foes of Colaluca shouldn’t go unchallenged in A’town

First of all, I would like to say that I am saddened by the fact that 200 people (with an apparent ax to grind) are not being challenged by the residents of Austintown.

To go to lengths to discredit a person’s reputation is, to say the least, sickening to witness.

I am talking about the actions of about 200 people to malign Vincent Colaluca, superintendent of Austintown Local Schools.

I have known Vince since he was a child. He was and has always been a person of integrity and honesty. I have always admired his absolute loyalty and commitment to any goal he has aspired to.

Please, residents of Austintown, do not let these people speak for you.

Margaret Jacubec, Struthers

Street thugs who terrorize city should be reported

In the past several months, our neighborhood has been shot up twice.

The first time at 11:30 p.m., several houses and cars were hit. In my own case, six bullets hit the house; one entered the bedroom where a 2-year-old child was sleeping.

The second time, shots were fired at homes where a stroke patient is recuperating and where several toddlers and small children live. Within 100 yards of a school, parents were still picking up their children.

Bullets don’t care who they kill. The shooters don’t care for the neighborhood, your homes, or your kids. What good examples they are showing your little ones.

But many continue to say, “I didn’t see or hear anything.” Would you still be blind and deaf if your small child was hit with bullets?

Wake up. We are being terrorized in our own homes. Not by international thugs but by neighborhood terrorist thugs. Someone knows who these thugs are.

Speak up. If you hear something or see something, say something.

Marie Ramunno, Youngstown

As Medicare faces peril, nation needs Abe Lincoln

How long do you think it will be before President Donald Trump embraces Paul Ryan’s long-time dream of privatizing Social Security and Medicare? Trump promised he would not mess with Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid; well that went by the wayside when he jumped on board Paul Ryan’s plan to dismantle Medicaid as part of the Trumpcare joke.

He actually called Social Security a Ponzi scheme and said that privatization would be good for all of us, plus he was all for raising the retirement age to 70. Which Trump would you believe, the one who lies to the voting public or the one who said he was on board with plans to cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid? Actually Trump lies so much that you can’t believe anything he says.

On top of all the yo-yos Trump has in his administration, he adds Tom Price to head the Health and Human Services Department. Price said that nothing has had a greater negative effect on health care than Medicare. He wants Medicare ended, plain and simple. Price is a Trump yes man and will do anything he is told to do.

Here’s the truth. Medicare saves lives; it allows seniors and people with disabilities and those with the greatest health needs to obtain life-saving health care. What’s wrong with that?

I hate to say it, but if we keep letting these plutocrats continue their purge of our House and Senate, we will no longer be a democracy. Where’s Abe Lincoln when you need him? He was a good Republican.

Bud McKelvey, Hermitage, Pa.

Support urged for new community bills of rights

If you want positive change for Youngstown, there are two citizen initiatives to support by signing petitions so we the people can vote on them in November.

The first one, the Youngstown Drinking Water Protection amendment, is about protecting our drinking water and ensuring the “discretionary water and sewer maintenance funds” are spent on replacing old water pipes and infrastructure to guarantee we have safe water coming out of our taps.

The second one, the Fair Election and Access to Local Government amendment, is about making our local elections more accessible to all candidates and committees. It proposes that only registered voters within the city can contribute to local campaign funding, and each voter is limited to $100 on any single campaign.

When the Supreme Court ruled on Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission, justices prohibited the government from restricting independent political expenditures by nonprofit corporations, for-profit corporations, labor unions and other associations. This ruling has allowed those with the most money to influence the outcome of our elections. And we, the residents have witnessed, over and over again how we are silenced by these corporate donations. The Fair Election initiative attempts to level the political playing field, at least here in Youngstown.

Our petition efforts are about citizen cooperation for the common good. It is people standing up to remind alleged public servants that they work for us, not for their corporate sponsors.

This is exactly what the Youngstown Committee for the Two Community Bills of Rights: Drinking Water Protection and Fair Elections stands for. It’s why we’re proudly part of the coalition collecting signatures for these two initiatives. You can contact us and sign both petitions.

We hope you’ll join us in collecting signatures from your neighbors, family and friends, protecting the people and city of Youngstown, and enabling them to vote yes for our rights in November.

Lynn Anderson, Youngstown