SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Southeastern Arizona Government Organization's Area Agency on Aging is working to educate communities across the region about elder abuse ahead of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15.
Raising awareness means making sure people recognize the warning signs.
"In order to raise the red flag about older adult abuse here in Southern Arizona. People need to know the signs and symptoms of physical and mental abuse, as well as scams, because this happens to this population quite frequently," I said.
The agency hosted a health fair Thursday to connect the community with resources that help older adults. Seana Riffle, case manager and Family Caregiver Support Program supervisor at SEAGO Area Agency on Aging, said elder abuse is a daily reality.
"At home, at the bank, I mean, elder abuse is happening every day, and we see it more and more," Riffle said.
Riffle said stigma remains one of the biggest barriers to getting people help.
"There's such a stigma against it, and so we're trying to bring awareness that, you know, we're here to help. There's help out there," Riffle said.
Scam calls are on the rise, including insurance fraud. Elsa Centeno, state health insurance coordinator at SEAGO Area Agency on Aging, said people should trust their instincts.
"Once you feel those little goosebumps coming up, it's not right. If it sounds too good to be true, it is not right. Bring up your red flag," Centeno said.
Centeno reports fraud cases to the state, but people don't often see the results. Adult Protective Services says only 1 in 24 neglect cases are reported.
Julia Davis, safety officer at Adult Protective Services, said silence allows abuse to continue.
"You don't want to see these people being abused. You talk about it behind closed doors, but if you don't step up if you don't say anything, then the abuse is going to continue, and sometimes it takes multiple tries to get the abuse to stop," Davis said.
Davis said many people hesitate to report abuse because they fear the older adult will be removed from their home, but that is not the agency's goal.
"Our goal is to help them. Our goal is to provide them with services to do the best that we can, and sometimes we just don't have the services that they need to provide to them, or they're not willing to accept the services we do have," Davis said.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is June 15, but resources are always available for anyone with questions or concerns.
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Alexis Ramanjulu is a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9. She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, which she also calls home. Share your story ideas with Alexis by emailing alexis.ramanjulu@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook.
