Recently, the United States Department of Justice announced the launch of the Elder Justice website which was created to help further combat elder abuse and financial exploitation of seniors. Being the caregiver of a member of the Silent Generation and being a helping professional, I understand how dire it is to protect the older members in our society, and to report any forms of abuse or neglect they may endure.
With a plethora of resources out there, it can be overwhelming to figure out what information is appropriate and current to utilize and pass along to those who need it. The U.S. Justice Department has taken steps to provide an online informational “hub” for older Americans, their families, law enforcement, helping professionals, and other stakeholders who have a vested interest in ensuring that older Americans’ rights and humanness are respected.
The Focus Behind Elder Justice:
The need for such a new resource is imperative, especially since one in ten Americans over the age of 60 suffer from abuse and neglect in this country. Elder Justice’s aim is to be another proactive measure to assist in preventing elder abuse and financial exploitation.
Elder abuse can consist of an older individual experiencing physical, emotional/mental, financial, and/or sexual abuse; and neglect in one’s well-being and care, which can include health care. The devastating effects of elder abuse is not just felt by the individual targeted, but by those within the community as well. Elder abuse dwindles the resources set aside for elderly individuals, families, businesses, and public programs (including Medicare and Medicaid) by billions of dollars each year. This depletion causes tremendous strains on our healthcare, financial, and judicial systems to transpire.
Protecting the elderly has continued to be a priority of the Justice Department, which were evident by the remarks Associate Attorney General Tony West made at the outreach event of the website launch in mid-September:
The launch of the Elder Justice website today marks another milestone in reaching our shared goal of keeping older Americans safe from abuse and neglect … The more we embrace our elders with respect and care, the stronger our society will be. This tool helps move us closer to that goal.
Various forms of abuse and neglect are not the only issues concerning our seniors the Elder Justice website tackles. Financial exploitation by consumer scams and healthcare fraud are forms of deception this population experiences. Seniors are estimated to lose almost 3 billion dollars each year from these kinds of exploitation. The consequences can greatly diminish older adults’ quality of life by creating a loss of independence and self-sufficiency, and increasing the infliction of health and psychological distress. The Justice Department has taken several steps to focus on these matters, such as prosecuting those who purposefully targeted seniors with scams involving reverse mortgages and lotteries. In regards to healthcare fraud, the implementation of enforcement, prevention, and consumer protection initiatives has aided to curb financial exploits of our seniors.
What to Expect When You Visit the Elder Justice Website:
Assistant Attorney General Stuart F. Delery made the following statement about what the public and professionals can find on the Elder Justice website:
The website provides resources and a means for improved communication among prosecutors, supports victims and families, and establishes a mechanism for collaboration for researchers and practitioners … While there are many other victim support websites available, we believed that the department could add significant value in this domain by consolidating information nationwide and making it more user-friendly. The Civil Division will continue to strengthen its efforts to protect the elderly.
The website is easy to navigate, and seems to be very accessible for users of different technological abilities. There are several tabs on the left column of the homepage that directs visitors to resources and information that may pertain to their unique situation or interests, such as “support for victims and families,” “practitioner resources,” “financial exploitation,” and “researcher resources.” Each resource link provides several subcategories of information for that particular topic.
The “support for victims and families” resource link has the best information available on the website, in my opinion, because you can search for organizations in your particular state. When I viewed the resources for South Carolina page, I was amazed at the simplistic layout the information listed was arranged in – the information was housed in an easy to read table format with the title headings “organization’s name,” “address,” and “contact numbers.” Every organization listed was categorized under its appropriate mission focus, so that users would understand the kind of assistance to expect if they were to contact that organization.
You can also search for organizations by keyword, distance, zip code, or categories. The various ways of finding organizations in your particular state/area is a great feature because it widens the possibility of connecting with agencies that could be a lifeline for you, your family, or your clients. I critically viewed the functionality of the website through two lenses: As a self-proclaimed semi-techie, I judge resource websites like this harshly because it should not be complicated or frustrating to search and locate information that could help and possibly save lives.
The website is accessible and can be effectively used by a layman or a professional equally with very little difficulty, which is how most websites should be. As a helping professional, the Elder Justice website will make it easier for social workers and other professionals to be more aware of what resources they can direct clients and families to who are in need. To me, the website is a great page to bookmark for future use, and to share with those who could benefit from the data compiled.
Final Thoughts About Elder Justice:
I was pleasantly surprised at the launch of a valuable resources such as this on the federal level. As our elderly population grows with the Baby Boomers gracefully entering their golden years, the development of this website is indeed timely. Though this website focuses on the elderly, it can be used for all populations that are vulnerable to abuse, neglect, and exploitation, including those with disabilities.
As one ages, the likelihood of acquiring a disability increases exponentially, so many of the adults who make up our senior population are living with disabilities or will be. Their quality of life and well-being matters, just as that of a younger person. Our seniors need us to protect and support them as they adjust to aging, and possibly living with chronic health conditions. Resources like Elder Justice makes it easier to inform, empower, protect, and advocate for them, and to encourage them to empower and advocate for themselves.
(Featured headlining image: Courtesy of Healthy Black Woman.)
