 World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is recognized each year on June 15. Elder abuse affects older people across all socioeconomic groups, cultures, and races and can occur anywhere when they are disconnected from social supports. The Mercer County Office on Aging/Aging & Disability Resource Connection works every day to help protect the rights of older Mercer County residents and those living with disabilities.
First recognized in 2006, the purpose of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is to provide an opportunity for communities to promote a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older individuals by raising awareness of the cultural, social, economic, and demographic processes affecting elder abuse and neglect.
Elder abuse refers to intentional or negligent acts by a caregiver or trusted individual that causes harm to an older person. Elder abuse takes many forms including neglect or isolation, physical abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse and exploitation, and emotional or psychological abuse (including verbal abuse and threats). The costs of elder abuse are high; losses can be tangible (such as homes and life savings) and intangible (such as dignity, independence, and possibly their lives). For society, elder abuse is both a economic and social issue that creates health care and legal costs, which are often shouldered by public programs like Medicare and Medicaid, and isolates people from their communities.
Some common risk factors that can lead to an individual being at higher risk of being susceptible to elder abuse include dementia, mental health or substance abuse issues of an older person and/or a perpetrator, social isolation, and poor physical health.
 There are ways you can get involved in strengthening our Mercer County community not just on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day but throughout the year. You can volunteer to be a friendly visitor or a contact to an older person living in the community or a long-term care facility, and the Mercer County Office on Aging can connect you with an agency looking for such volunteers. Another way you can combat elder abuse is to provide respite for a caregiver or you can encourage a caregiver to take advantage of respite services that the Office on Aging funds.
If you worried about a senior’s social support, please encourage them to partake in the Mercer County Nutrition Program for Older Adults’ congregate lunch meals. This program is open to anyone 60 years old or older and their spouses (regardless of age), any county resident with a disability whose primary caregiver is a program participant, and the personal care aides of program participants (when they accompany a participant to the site where meals are provided). Not only does this program provide a nutritionally balanced lunch each day Monday through Friday, it arranges services including health, educational, and recreational programs for its participants. For more information, contact the Mercer County Nutrition Program for Older Adults at 609-989-6650.
The Mercer County Office on Aging provides funding for the Mercer County Board of Social Services’ Adult Protective Services program that reviews and investigates reports of suspected abuse, neglect, and exploitation of vulnerable adults living in a community setting. If you suspect an adult you know is being abused, neglected, or exploited, please call the Mercer County Board of Social Services at 609-989-4346 or 609-989-4347 Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911.
If you know of or suspect someone residing in a long-term care facility is being abused, neglected, or exploited, please contact the New Jersey Long-Term Care Ombudsman at 877-582-6995.
For more information, please contact the Office on Aging at 609-989-6661 or adrc@mercercounty.org.
   The Mercer County Department of Human Services fosters a comprehensive human service delivery system that enhances the health, safety, and quality of life for all residents of Mercer County. The department's goal is to create an environment of public trust by empowering and strengthening individuals and families, advocating for sound policy, mobilizing resources, and acting as champions for those citizens who are most vulnerable and in need of services.
Through its offices and divisions, the Department of Human Services provides funding to community-based organizations for those organizations to provide direct services to Mercer County residents. The department does not provide direct services to Mercer County residents, but directs Mercer County residents to where they can access services. With this funding, the Department of Human Services complies with procurement practices in accordance with the New Jersey Public Contracts Law 40:A:11-1 et seq.
|
