Kari Sederburq, director,
Aging & Adult Services
Agency, speaks at the press
conference.

Jewish Senior Life opens SE Michigan's first shelter to house victims short term.

Ronelle Grier I Contributing Writer

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

In Michigan, it is estimated that as many
as 90,000 older adults are victimized each
year.
"We saw the need:' said JSL Executive
Director Rochelle Upfal. "The mission of JSL
is to help older adults live
with dignity and respect,
so we feel the shelter is
a perfect match, even
though we wish we didn't
need it:'
The program was
announced at a press
conference on Monday,
Rochelle Upfal
June 15, which was World
Elder Abuse Awareness Day. In addition to
Upfal, speakers included 39th District State
Rep. Klint Kesto; Oakland County Prosecutor
Jessica Cooper; Kari Sederburg, director of
the Aging and Adult Services Agency of the
Michigan Department of Health and Human
Services; Michael Stroud, assistant to Lt. Gov.
Brian Galley; JSL President Matt Lester and
Barbra Giles, JSL Associate Director of Aging
Services.
"When we speak to seniors about abuse,
they don't want to hear about it because most
of the abuse takes place by people they know,
they love or they trust, and they do not want
to reveal that:' Cooper said. "In our commu-
nity, nobody wants to have their children or
their grandchildren in trouble with the law.
"Part of it is the awareness, and when we

are dealing with people who have physical
disabilities, it is important to get them into a
shelter and to a point where they are willing
to report and willing to come forward:'
The program is funded by a $25,000
grant from Gov. Rick Snyder's "Say No to
Elder Adult Abuse" campaign through the
Michigan Aging and Adult Services Agency's
Prevent Elder and Vulnerable Adult Abuse,
Exploitation, Neglect Today (PREVNT)
Initiative Grant. Other nonprofit organiza-
tions participating in this collaborative effort
include Jewish Family Service, Danto Family
Health Care Center, the Oakland County
S.A.V.E (Serving Adults who are Vulnerable
and/or Elderly) Task Force and the Area
Agency on Aging 1-B.

Types Of Abuse

The main forms of elder abuse are physi-
cal abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse,
financial abuse and neglect. Statistics
from the National Center on Elder Abuse,
Administration on Aging show that elderly
women are victimized more often than men,
and older adults with physical disabilities
and mental incapacities, such as dementia or
Alzheimer's, are abused at much higher rates.
The majority of these crimes go unreported.
Elderly people with dementia are espe-
cially susceptible to sexual abuse from family
members, paid caregivers, spouses or part-
ners.
"[Those with dementia] are more easily

victimized because they're so vulnerable,"
Giles said. "If one partner has dementia, the
sex may not be consen-
sual. Are they able to say
`no: to express that they're
not interested? And even
if they are, who's hearing
them?"
The shelter was mod-
eled after the Harry
and Jeanette Weinberg
Barbra Giles
Center for Elder Abuse
Prevention in New York,
which was created in 2005 by Dan Reingold,
national champion of elder abuse preven-
tion and treatment. The SPRING Alliance, a
global network of elder abuse shelters, also
provided JSL with technical support and
mentorship.
"Elder and vulnerable adult abuse is a
growing problem facing our state as our
population continues to age:' said Kari
Sederburg, director, Aging & Adult Services
Agency. "On behalf of Michigan's aging
network, I want to thank Jewish Senior Life
for recognizing the need for this shelter
and taking the steps to make it happen for
their community. We're very proud to be
a supporting partner in this one-of-a-kind
program:'

Awareness And Education

One of the center's goals is to raise awareness
and provide education to professionals and

community members about elder abuse as a
means of prevention. Upfal and Giles plan to
do outreach and training with first respond-
ers as well as local bankers, who are often the
first to notice financial abuse.
Red flags include diminishing bank or
brokerage accounts caused by withdrawals
made by a family member who has been put
in charge of the elderly person's money. If
funds are being withdrawn and used for pur-
poses other than the elderly individual's care,
it may be a sign of financial abuse, which is
present in approximately 90 percent of all
abuse cases.
"Financial abuse is the easiest to identify:'
Upfal said. "The others are equally prevalent
but usually far more hidden:'
Often the victims are afraid to report
abuse because there has been some kind of
threat or emotional blackmail; for example, a
daughter who is spending her elderly moth-
er's money may threaten to stop bringing
the grandchildren to visit if she complains.
Sometimes the abuser is the only person the
older adult has to rely on for grocery shop-
ping, errands or visits to the doctor.
The Center for Elder Abuse Prevention
has a 24-hour hotline, which victims or
concerned bystanders may call about inci-
dences of actual or suspected abuse. A report
will then be made to the Michigan Adult
Protective Services department, which will
send a representative to do an assessment
and recommend further action based on the

Elder Abuse on page 14

12 June 18 • 2015

JN

