(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney Dave Yost this morning kicked off the annual conference presented by his Elder Abuse Commission with a message of gratitude to the advocates and professionals who work to protect “our great-grandparents, our grandparents and our parents.”
“The people you help are . . . the people who gave birth to us, raised us, fed us and loved us,” Yost said in his opening remarks at the event, held at Ohio State University’s Fawcett Center. “They sustained the world and passed it along to us. In their later years, they are entitled to dignity, respect and protection from those who would abuse, exploit and prey on them.”
Victimization in old age “is not inevitable,” the attorney general noted. “There is much we can do to curb it, and that’s why the work each of you does is so important.”
The commission’s conference brings together advocates and professionals to talk about effective strategies for dealing with the growing problem of elder abuse. The 2023 gathering focused on the role that trauma plays in the lives and circumstances of older adults and the importance of using a trauma-informed approach in helping these victims.
Yost, whose office is working with law enforcement agencies statewide to better support military veterans, noted that much study has been done on trauma’s effects on soldiers with war-induced post-traumatic stress as well as crime victims and victims of atrocities. What’s lagging, though, is research on the effects of trauma experienced by older adults.
The conference keynote speaker was Shelly L. Jackson, a consultant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Elder Justice Initiative, who has an extensive background in research, teaching and writing on elder abuse issues. Jackson talked about the need to explore elder abuse and other trauma that manifests later in life. She emphasized the need to ask victims, “What happened to you?” – instead of “What’s wrong with you?”
To request assistance, training or more information about elder justice issues or to get support for a victim of abuse, neglect or financial exploitation, contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at 800-282-0515 or visit www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov.
Hear from the AG:
"As we get older, there is a greater propensity for people to try to take advantage of us."
"Give us a call. Let us do everything we can to be helpful."
"They're getting the newest tools, the best knowledge."
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