 A note from the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman:
Every year, the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman (OSLTCO) makes a point to highlight World Elder
Abuse Awareness Day. This year, the cause will be in the spotlight on Wednesday, June 15. On that day, communities in
the USA and all over the world will sponsor events to highlight the growing
tragic issue of elder abuse.
How widespread
is this preventable problem? The U.S. Administration on Aging estimates that as
many as 1 in 10 older Americans are abused or neglected each year. That means
that we each know or love someone older who is being abused or neglected. Older
adults are vital, contributing members of American society and their abuse or
neglect diminishes all of us. America has confronted the issues of child abuse
and domestic violence, but, as a society we haven’t done enough to address the
issue of elder abuse.
Elder abuse
can be financial, emotional, physical and sexual. It also includes people who
are neglected and those who neglect themselves (self-neglect). The consequences of elder abuse are grave:
older adults who are abused are twice as likely to be hospitalized, four times
as likely to go into nursing homes and three times as likely to die. While
studies show that most abusers are family members, trusted professionals may
also target older adults. Abuse can happen in any setting: in the older adult’s
own home, nursing homes, or assisted living facilities. That’s why
administrators and directors play an important role in helping the OSLTCO and other stakeholders combat this issue.
I hope you will join me again this year in taking a stand against elder abuse. It's up to all of us to advocate for the rights, dignity, well-being and safety of older adults.
Deanna Clingan-Fischer, JD
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 World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEADD): How Can You Help?
There are many ways to prevent elder abuse from occurring. Here are a few steps that you and others can take:
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Know the signs; Take a Victim-Centered Approach. Educate your staff about the warning signs of abuse, neglect and self-neglect. In a recent article, the National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life (NCALL) explains the issue, discusses the signs and offers strategies for professionals who work with older victims of abuse.
>Read the article
>Victim-centered advocacy and safety planning
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Report concerns. If you see something, say something. Report your concerns to the Iowa Department of Human Services, Iowa Department of Inspections & Appeals or local law enforcement agency and involve your Local Long-Term Care Ombudsman to help support the resident or tenant.
>Benefits of a multidisciplinary approach
>Iowa resources and contacts
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Raise public awareness. We all play a role and awareness of the issue is the first step. Conduct presentations, continually train staff and distribute materials about elder abuse.
>Learn more about trainings and events in Iowa
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Advocate. Your voice and experience with the issue is critical to help state legislators and Congress understand the need for increased funding for elder abuse prevention and intervention programs, long-term care ombudsman programs and human services agencies. You can be an advocate every day, not just during legislative session.
To get more information on how to make a difference, check out this fact sheet and visit the website of the National Center on Elder Abuse or call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116.
For more information about WEADD events, ideas on how you can take action and other ways to promote elder abuse awareness in your community, visit the WEAAD resource page.
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Justice in Aging recently released two new issue briefs on the revised federal nursing facility regulations. The regulations have increased protections for nursing facility residents and changed the rules for nursing facilities nationwide.
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Quality of Care outlines the specific care practices that will enable residents to achieve their highest level of functioning and prevent decline.
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Grievances and Resident/Family Councils covers residents’ rights to file complaints and the federal laws regarding the procedures facilities are required to follow in addressing grievances.
Both issue briefs offer advocacy tips for consumers and their family members.
These issue briefs are the 9th and 10th in a series on the new regulations. All of the briefs were created jointly by Justice in Aging, the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, and the Center for Medicare Advocacy.
Effective July 1, 2017, adult Medicaid members, age 19 and older, will be combined into a single, improved dental
program. The movement of all adult Iowa Medicaid members to the Dental Wellness Plan is intended to result in a more
seamless experience for members and providers.
The Iowa Department of Human Services has posted resources for current and new members, stakeholders and providers. Important mailings went out to members in mid-May, meaning your impacted residents and tenants should have received notification by now. This one-page summary was included in member resource packets mailed, to describe the new dental benefits and "Healthy Behaviors" required for the program.
For more information on the upcoming changes and to review member resources, visit their website or call Iowa Medicaid Member Services toll-free (Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1-800-338-8366.
Upcoming Events & Educational Opportunities
Educational Opportunities for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
The
American Society on Aging (ASA) is offering two educational opportunities this
month:
June 12: New 5-week online
course on elder mistreatment prevention ASA is presenting this course in
partnership with the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. Participants will
learn about both protecting victims of elder mistreatment and also preventing
future mistreatment. Learn more and enroll now to earn a certificate of
completion from USC, and elect to receive CEUs from select accreditation
providers. Non-ASA members can join when registering for the course and save
$60 off membership with discount codeUSC7.
>Learn
more and register
June 13: Seminar on
domestic violence and sexual abuse in later life
ASA is presenting this special WEAAD web seminar with Bonnie Brandl, Founder
and Director of the National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life (NCALL). This
one-hour event will take place June 13 from noon - 1:00p.m. (CST).
Registration is free and includes complimentary CEUs.
>Learn more and register
IA Health Link Managed Care Public
Comment Meeting
June 13, 2017 from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. CST
Western Iowa Tech Community College, 4647 Stone Ave., Sioux City, IA 51106
The
Iowa Department of Human Services continues holding public comment meetings to
gather input on the IA Health Link managed care program. Meetings are held
once per month, in varying locations throughout Iowa. The next public comment meeting will take place in Sioux City on June 13.
Help us get the word out in your community by printing and posting a flyer
available for download here.
>Learn more and view additional dates
Cross-Training: Abuse in Later Life
Tuesday, June 20, 2017 from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. CST
Riverview Conference Center, 439 N. Division Street, Cedar Falls, IA 50613
Training Purpose: To enhance older victims' safety and quality of life by strengthening collaboration among victim service providers. The training is brought to you by the Iowa Attorney General’s Office in collaboration with the Iowa Department of Public Safety, the Iowa Department of Human Services, the Office of the State Long Term Care Ombudsman, the Polk County Attorney's Office, the Polk County Sheriff's Office, the Dallas County Attorney's Office, and the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The training is conducted by an aging expert, a domestic violence advocate, and a DHS dependent adult abuse expert.
Continuing Education Credit: This training may qualify for continuing education credits for other professions. If you need supporting documentation, please contact us.
Registration Deadline: June 13, 2017
Note: Seating is limited to 40 attendees. Additional trainings will be held across the state at later dates.
> Register
Advanced Webinar from Justice in Aging
Elder Abuse - The Impact of Undue Influence
Tuesday, June 27th, 2017 – 1:00 p.m. CST
Perpetrators of financial exploitation and other forms of elder abuse may exert undue influence to control the decision-making of their victims. Learning to recognize signs of undue influence will help legal and aging network service providers prevent or redress elder abuse and enhance victims’ access to justice.
Lori Stiegel and Mary Joy Quinn, nationally recognized experts on elder abuse and undue influence, will present this advanced webinar to help legal and aging network professionals understand the dynamics and indicators of undue influence, and the relationship of this psychological process to elder abuse and guardianship.
During this training, Lori will discuss the concept and its connection to capacity and consent, tactics and process, and legal remedies. Mary Joy will provide an example of how undue influence is defined in California law and share an undue influence screening tool for Adult Protective Services that lawyers and other professionals should be aware of and can use in their own practice.
>Register here
The mission of the Office of
the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman is to protect the health, safety, welfare
and rights of individuals residing in long-term care by investigating
complaints, seeking resolutions to problems and providing advocacy, with the goal
of enhancing quality of life and care.
Please feel free to forward
this newsletter to others who may be interested.
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