Baltimore County, MD Time of Your LIfe, 22 Apr 2022

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From YouTube: World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD): June 15, 2022

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Michelle Mills, Division Chief, Individual and Family Services
Baltimore County Department of Aging

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Welcome back to the time of your life., I'm your host, ethel rasmussen. world elder abuse awareness day is commemorated each year to.

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Highlight a societal tragedy in an effort to educate the public,.

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Here to share information about the relevance of this important day is michelle mills,.

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Division, chief of individual and family services at bcda.

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Michelle, welcome to the show. thanks, ethel., thanks for having me today. world elder abuse, awareness, day, known as weaad,.

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Was launched in june 15th of 2006 by.

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The international network for the prevention of elder abuse and the world health organization at the united nations.

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What is the purpose of weaad? ethel,? It's really an opportunity for communities really around the globe,.

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Around the world to raise awareness about elder abuse.

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On this day, we're really able to acknowledge the significance of elder abuse,.

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The public health issue that it is, and the human rights issue., I don't think folks, really understand the extent and the devastation that occurs with elder abuse.

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It's a really cool day because there's events that are held worldwide to highlight solutions, resources,.

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How do identify elder abuse to this very social challenge that we face.

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What role does the baltimore county restoring elders, safety, today,.

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Known as bc-rest play in the annual weaad event?.

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Bc-Rest is a coalition of agencies, organizations,.

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And private individuals who are committed to providing education and advocacy.

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Our partners include representatives from the police, department,.

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Adult protective services,, the health department, a-r-p, arp, hana, and the library.

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Then we also have our private citizens,, who are just passionate about raising awareness and trying to.

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Find resources for those who are experiencing elder abuse.

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Bc-Rest,, we also host our own events on june 15th to bring awareness to folks about elder abuse.

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We try to have resources, available,, give a presentation, just again,, just trying to increase that awareness.

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we've been doing this for the last 13 years., we're very excited about that.. Another project that we participate in is protect week.

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This is a statewide awareness and public education campaign.

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Focused on protecting our older adults from financial exploitation.

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Lots of events will be scheduled,. More information will be coming out on those events.

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Our folks can check social media, check the protect week website., but we also participate in that to try to help our elders just be.

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Aware of different financial scams, different things that are happening out, there.

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Michelle,, can you share information about elder abuse and its prevalence?.

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It's estimated that one in 10 americans,.

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60 and over have experienced some form of elder abuse.

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It can take on many different ways of physical, sexual, domestic violence.

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I think folks forget that, just because you're older, if you're still in a marriage or a partnership,,.

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You're older,, so it's elder abuse,, but it's also domestic violence and could've been occurring for quite a long time.

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Psychological abuse, financial, abuse,, neglect,.

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Which can either be self-neglect or neglect from other folks in taking care of an older adult.

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Unfortunately, for every one case of elder abuse,,.

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That's reported, 44 cases are not., that's just heart-wrenching.

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lack of community resources, isolation increase the risk of abuse.

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these past two years with the pandemic has really.

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Just put a highlight on this.

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In a lot of our elders as we're getting back out into the homes, back into seeing how they're doing., it's really raising our awareness of how much that really led to a lot of neglect,.

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But also abuse because they had no way to get out or to let.

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People know that this is what they were experiencing.

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Elder abuse costs survivors billions of dollars each year..

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This is a very expensive public health issue, as it stands.

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Why is it critical to acknowledge june 15th, as.

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A way to advocate and educate on behalf of older adults?.

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I think it's just really imperative that we.

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Continue to increase awareness to help our folks access, resources.

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We always get the question, well,. What can I do?.

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Well,, you can learn the signs of elder abuse and neglect..

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You can help prevent isolation..

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You could ask your faith-based community to host a talk about elder abuse and provide resources.

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You can also provide a break for a caregiver just giving that caregiver,.

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Say, hey, I'll sit with your mom for a couple of hours..

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Why don't you take take a break, can make a huge difference.

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We also have this year the weaad615 challenge,.

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#Weaad615 challenge., what that is,.

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Is we're asking folks to learn six facts about elder abuse.

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Some of the ones I've just mentioned, share one thing that you can do to prevent elder abuse and then.

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Reach out to five people to participate in this challenge.

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Look more and more on our social media as we roll that out.

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Michelle,, I understand an event for professionals will be available.

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Can you share information with our audience about it?

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yeah,, we're very excited.

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We're collaborating with the elder safe program.

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Through the charles e. smith, retirement community., and so we are hosting a webinar on.

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Elder abuse, prevention and intervention through a trauma-informed lens.

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It will be held on june 7th from 1:00 to 2:30,.

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And social work, ceus are pending., again,, more information will be coming out and we'll be sharing links on how to register..

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I will also say we're working on a community event.

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More information will be coming out about that as well,.

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Which we're very excited to be able to offer this year as well.

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Michelle, in closing, any final remarks regarding weaad?.

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I think it's just really important that we aren't afraid to ask the questions,.

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To try to see if there's just something,, they always say see, something,, say something.

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It's the same thing with elder abuse.. We just really want to make folks, it's okay to ask,.

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It's okay to question..

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I think our older adults would appreciate that, knowing that somebody is caring for them.

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Even if there's nothing happening, at least you cared enough to ask., but if you need more information,.

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You can call our office at 410-887-4200.

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But if you really truly feel like there's an older adult in.

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Baltimore county, who is a victim of elder abuse or experiencing elder abuse,? Please call 410-887-8463,.

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And that's our adult protective services department and they'd be happy to take your information and check things. Out.

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thank you, michelle for being on the show today..

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Thank you for having us and thank you for letting us bring awareness to the elder abuse. thank you.

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before we take a short break on behalf of baltimore county department of aging,.

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Thank you to our sponsors of sounds for a brighter day, concert on.

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May 19th from 11:00 to 2:00 pm at the oregon ridge park, concert pavilion.

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Sponsorship supports make this special day possible and it has.

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Allowed us to honor baltimore, county and city rsvp volunteers.

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Thank you to baltimore city government division of aging for their community resources,.

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2023 sponsorship, keswick,, wise &, well,.

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The entertainment, sponsor, aarp, maryland,.

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The rsvp gifts, sponsor, levindale hospital,, the desert, sponsor.

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The event's business sponsors include avila home care,.

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Carefirst bluecross blueshield, and charlotte hall veterans home., the event's activities. Sponsors include brightview senior, living,.

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Gbmc healthcare, gilchrist, hospice care,.

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Maryland, vascular specialists, and the wesley at home. the event level sponsors include kaiser, permanente,,.

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Mid-Atlantic medical supply, & equipment and pg builders inc.