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"Our seniors deserve to be treated with dignity, respect and to feel
safe and secure. Abuse and neglect are unacceptable, and the sooner
we know about a case of abuse, the sooner we can put a stop to it,"
Blagojevich said. "But in order to keep up the fight against abuse
and neglect, we need to make sure we have the means and resources to
do it. That's why I'm once again calling on lawmakers to work
together on a balanced budget that provides adequate funding for
programs like elder abuse prevention that helps keep thousands of
seniors safe every year." It is estimated that more than 76,000
seniors in Illinois are elder abuse victims. In Illinois, elder
abuse is defined as neglect; physical, mental or sexual injury; or
financial exploitation to an adult 60 years of age or older. If you
suspect that someone is being abused, the following are a few
indicators that may point to a problem:
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Untreated injuries,
sprains or dislocations, scratches and cuts
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Sudden change in
behavior or withdrawal in social settings
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A caregiver's
refusal to allow visitors
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Dehydration,
malnutrition, poor personal hygiene, untreated health problems,
hazardous or unsafe living conditions
-
Sudden changes in
bank account or banking practices, the inclusion of additional
names on an elder's bank signature card, unauthorized withdrawal
of the elder's funds using the elder's ATM or credit card, and
abrupt changes in a will or other financial documents
"Elder abuse happens every day and, in most cases, goes
unreported," said Illinois Department on Aging Director Charles D.
Johnson. "We hope the Break the Silence campaign will help increase
awareness in the state. I want to encourage those who are victims or
suspect abuse to call our 24-hour Elder Abuse Hotline so that we can
stop abuse before it's too late."
The Break the Silence campaign includes outreach efforts such as
billboards and mass-transit advertisements, public service
announcements, and senior community fairs to increase awareness and
visibility of this important issue. In addition, the Department on
Aging is hosting the 21st annual Elder Rights Conference July 17-19
in Lincolnshire to educate professionals on topics including elder
abuse prevention.
Since the start of the Break the Silence campaign, the number of
reports of elder abuse has increased by 1,300. In the year prior to
the campaign, 8,584 reports of elder abuse were submitted. In the
campaign's first year, the number of reports increased to 9,305.
During the second year of the campaign, nearly 9,800 reports of
elder abuse were made.
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If you are a victim of elder abuse or suspect an elder is being
abused, call the Illinois Department on Aging's 24-hour Elder Abuse
Hotline at 866-800-1409 or TTY 888-206-1327. Trained professionals
are prepared to take reports of elder abuse and forward them
promptly to local senior protective service agencies or law
enforcement. All calls and information related to elder abuse are
strictly confidential.
While senior protective services agencies investigate cases of
abuse for elders who live in the community, the long-term ombudsman
investigates allegations of abuse or neglect in nursing homes. For
more information on how to detect and prevent elder abuse, please
visit
www.state.il.us/aging.
The full text of the governor's proclamation follows:
WHEREAS, according
to the Illinois Department on Aging, between four and five percent
of persons in the United States, aged sixty and older are subject to
some form of mistreatment or abuse, including physical, emotional,
and sexual abuse, as well as financial exploitation and neglect of
basic care needs; and
WHEREAS, Illinois
has approximately two million citizens over the age of sixty,
meaning that as many as 90,000 Illinois seniors could currently be
suffering from some form of abuse; and
WHEREAS, it is the
mission of the Illinois Department on Aging and its network of
service providers to increase public awareness of this plight
against our most vulnerable elderly; and to promote increased
reporting of elder abuse; and
WHEREAS, it is
essential that the citizens of Illinois recognize the signs of
abuse, neglect and exploitation and report suspicions of abuse; and
WHEREAS, it is
imperative that each community in Illinois refuses to tolerate this
offense against our older citizens by creating greater awareness of
the prevalence and severity of elder abuse in hopes of eradicating
it from society:
THEREFORE, I, Rod
R. Blagojevich, Governor of the State of Illinois, do hereby
proclaim July 2007 as ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH in Illinois, and
encourage all citizens to recognize this crisis and join in working
toward its prevention.
[Text from file received from the
Illinois Office of Communication and Information]
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