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VOL.12, NO.6
F O R
P E O P L E
O V E R
JUNE 2015
More than 125,000 readers throughout Greater Baltimore
Elder abuse often not reported
I N S I D E …
PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER MYERS
By Carol Sorgen Ellyn M. Loy has seen a number of cases of abuse in her years as a licensed clinical social worker — first at House of Ruth, a shelter for women and children who are victims of domestic violence, and now as director of SAFE: Stop Abuse of Elders. One of the most troubling cases Loy has seen recently is that of a 90-year-old woman who, though mentally “with it” and owning her own home, had been taken advantage of by her granddaughter, who lived with her and had become the payee for the woman’s Social Security benefits. The woman was kept isolated in her room, without access to her friends, her money, or any of her identification. Her family refused to take her to church or even to the store. In part because her family also withheld needed medication, the woman frequently became ill. After her second hospitalization, while recovering at a rehabilitation center, the woman begged a social worker to help, finally admitting that her daughter-in-law and granddaughter were abusing her. That’s when Loy and her staff from SAFE were called in. They investigated and confirmed what was happening, at which point they stopped the woman’s Social Security check from going to her family. “When the woman’s family found out that her Social Security check was no longer going to them,” Loy said, “they dumped her remaining belongings on the floor of her room at the rehab center,” and have made no further attempt to communicate with her. She is now finally in a safe situation. Elder abuse is a growing public health concern. So much so that there is an annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, this year taking place on Monday, June 15. Elder abuse takes many forms, said Barbara Korenblit, chief of the Division of Individual and Family Services of the Baltimore County Department of Aging (BCDA). Among them are physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and financial abuse. As in the example above, many situations involve more than one type at the same time, and in two out of three cases, the abuser is the victim’s child, grandchild or spouse, according to the National Center on Elder Abuse, Bureau of Justice Statistics.
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ARTS & STYLE Social worker Ellyn M. Loy counsels older adults and their families if they are concerned about physical, psychological, sexual or financial abuse. She is the director of SAFE: Stop Abuse of Elders, a nonprofit that raises awareness of the types and extent of elder abuse, and refers its victims and their families to agencies that provide support and safety.
As a result, victims frequently refrain from reporting such abuse, either to protect their family members, out of fear of reprisal, or because they don’t want to be taken from their home and family and sent to a facility. Even so, more than 2 million cases of elder abuse are reported each year. And surveys suggest that 10 to 20 times that number go unreported. Hence, the need for organizations like SAFE — which addresses the needs of women, men, children and elders who experience physical, psychological, sexual or financial abuse. The free, nonsectarian program was launched in 2013 by Jewish Community Services (JCS), Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital, and CHANA, a
program of The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore. SAFE provides crisis intervention, education and consultation, and also advocates for community awareness, safety and healing to help abused seniors in northwest Baltimore get the care they need. “The state of Maryland looks at SAFE as a model for addressing elder abuse in other communities around the state,” said Loy. “Members of SAFE’s staff consult with other social service agencies as to how to best develop a support system for vulnerable older adults.” “Those who are most vulnerable to abuse,” said BCDA’s Korenblit, “are those See ELDER ABUSE, page 28
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