Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson has declared 2011 Elder Abuse Awareness Year in Oakland County in order to protect Oakland County’s vulnerable adults.
‘Oakland County’s senior population is expected to double over the next two decades,? said Patterson. ‘By raising awareness of elder abuse, the hope is to prevent crimes against vulnerable adults.?
Elder abuse includes physical or emotional abuse, financial exploitation, and self-neglect. More than 80,000 vulnerable adults in Michigan are victims of at least one form of elder abuse.
‘Elder abuse cases are under-reported because the caregiver often is the perpetrator,? said Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Edward Sosnick. ‘Elder Abuse Awareness Year is an opportunity to educate the public about looking for the signs of and reporting suspected abuse.?
The Serving Adults who are Vulnerable and/or Elderly (S.A.V.E.) Task Force was launched in 2005 to increase awareness of elder abuse. The S.A.V.E. Task Force is a partnership among service agencies and businesses that serve the senior population, law enforcement, and Oakland County Health and Human Services to protect the rights and safety of vulnerable adults in Oakland County and beyond.
Anyone who suspects that someone is being abused or neglected may make an anonymous report’to Adult Protective Services at?866-975-5010.
For more information about S.A.V.E. and elder abuse, visit www.oakgov.com/seniors/assets/docs/help_readable_format.pdf.