Mayor, DA Get Behind Elder Abuse Prevention
New Initiative Announced Friday at Medford Senior Center
Story Updated 2:39PM, Friday, October 3, 2008
Mayor Michael McGlynn and Middlesex County District Attorney, pictured at left, will announce a new initiative aimed at preventing elder abuse on Friday in Medford.
Mayor Michael McGlynn joined Middlesex County District Attorney Gerry Leone and Elders Affairs Secretary Mike Festa on Friday at the Medford Senior Center to announce a new initiative aimed at preventing instances of elder abuse.
The LEAPS (Leaders in Elder Abuse Prevention) Initiative was created by DA Leone in an effort to pull together agencies, community organizations, and health care providers responsible for the care of senior citizens. Members of the LEAPS program will work together to better identify seniors who may be the subject of abuse or who are living in at-risk situations and will help them get the proper care and services to prevent negative situations from escalating. The various groups will also engage in trainings and information sessions to assure that all members are up-to-date on proper techniques and strategies to protect elders.
According to DA Leone, his office has seen a 71% rise in cases of elder abuse referred to it for investigation and prosecution over the past five years, from 123 in 2003 to 210 in 2007.
The most recent statistics from the Massachusetts Office of Elders Affairs indicate there were 11,503 reports of elder abuse and 3,713 newly confirmed cases of elder abuse during fiscal year 2005, an increase of over 16% from the previous year.
The healthcare providers who presently have joined the initiative so far are Mount Auburn Hospital, Emerson Hospital, Lahey Clinic, and Newton-Wellesley Hospital.
“When our office sees a case of elder abuse, it is already too late. And all too frequently, there were warning signs that a particular domestic situation could lead to abuse or injury to one of our seniors. Through this program, we are able to bring everyone together to better identify those warnings signs and assure that proactive care is provided to alleviate those negative situations…This isn’t a program that costs additional taxpayer money. It’s simply a common-sense program that brings people together in a collaborative way to better care for our seniors,” said DA Leone in a statement.
“The key to keeping seniors safe and independent in the community is to prevent incidents of elder abuse and intervene at the first sign of a problem. Raising awareness around elder abuse is critical to those early detection and prevention efforts. The Executive Office of Elder Affairs has a great partner in Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone and his staff. Through such public-private collaborations as the LEAPS Initiative, we can ensure that we have a strong, comprehensive safety net for our elders,” said Elders Affairs Secretary Mike Festa.
The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office in conjunction with Elders Services is in the process of training health care providers, local police, and others on strategies to help identify warning signs of elder abuse. LEAPS members are also educated on the services that are offered by Elders Affairs so that, if they identify a problem area, they can contact the appropriate resource and help assure that the senior is better cared for.
– InsideMedford.com