Elder abuse seminar trains those charged with helping the most vulnerable
More than 80 professionals attended a recent seminar to better help them recognize and deal with abuse of elders and the disabled.
The Coordinated Community Response event was held on Oct. 20 at First Christian Church in Plain Township.
The Community Response sessions are sponsored by the Stark County Multidisciplinary Advocacy/Protective Resources Team. It was created and organized more than a decade ago by Stark County Probate Judge Dixie Park.
According to the Ohio Department of Aging, more than 200,000 Ohioans, age 60 and older, experience some form of elder abuse. Yet, county departments of job and family services receive far fewer report calls, suggesting tens of thousands of instances of such abuse go unreported.
The local seminar featured presentations by experts such as Summa Health System geriatrician Dr. Jennifer Drost and Grove City elder services coordinator Teri Ruslander, a retired city police detective.
A panel discussion also included Brenda Jill Cury of the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission; Sylvia Pla-Raith, director of the elder justice consumer protection section of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost's office; Stark County Prosecutor Kyle Stone; and Stark County Sheriff George Maier.
Among the attendees were Mahoning County Probate Judge Robert Rusu and others from that county who work in the field, as well as local police officers, attorneys, social workers, guardians, court investigators, adult protective services workers, nursing home staff and hospital employees.
In an unrelated event, the next day, Guardian Support Services held its annual appreciation breakfast at the Inn at Belden Village.
Founded in 2006 by elder law attorney Sandra Watkins Cleaver, GSS provides a system of information and referrals so guardians can be identified, appointed and trained.
Park said there were about 1,400 guardianship cases open in Stark County Probate Court when GSS was established ― the number is now 2,200 and continues to increase. Guardians are appointed to care for and make decisions for wards, those pronounced incompetent by the Probate Court.
GSS volunteers serve 127 wards.
During the event, Park thanked vounteer guardians and board members for their caring and loving actions; she quoted St. Therese of Lisieux.
“A word or a smile is often enough to put fresh life in a despondent soul," the judge said. "Remember that nothing is small in the eyes of God. Do all that you do with love.”
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Elder abuse seminar provides training to those in the field
