The Elder Abuse Awareness: Virtual Coalition – an initiative headed by experts from Mount Saint Mary College, Orange County Office of the Aging, Orange County Adult Protective Services, and more – recently launched a virtual community-based outreach regarding elder abuse.
As Americans are socially isolating in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, older adults are at even greater risk of being abused and taken advantage of, notes The Elder Abuse Awareness: Virtual Coalition. The coalition will address the various resources available to empower and educate individuals, families, and agency-based personnel regarding the many faces of abuse and scams, as well as provide resources on how to maintain a healthy, active, and productive lifestyle.
The first of the ten-week video blog series was completed on Monday, April 13. It presented “Significance of Human Interaction: The Toll of Loneliness and Isolation.”
Subsequent weeks will feature interviews with experts in the field of aging, with a focus on elder abuse. Topics will include the significance of human interaction, the role that the aging community plays, Orange County’s response to elder abuse, legal issues, caring for a person with dementia and special needs, the importance of movement, and staying connected to spirituality.
These recorded video-casts will be circulated via an email distribution list and will be made available on YouTube. Additional content, including short public service announcements, will be presented on social media, radio, and more.
The Elder Abuse Awareness: V-Coalition team includes Social Science professors Lawrence Force and Jeffrey Kahana, directors of the Center on Aging and Disability Policy (CADP) at Mount Saint Mary College; AnnMarie Maglione, director of the Orange County Office of the Aging; Tim Murphy, supervisor of Orange County Adult Protective Services; Elisa Gwilliam, meditation teacher and founder of Hudson Valley Healing Center; Geri Abbatiello, Ph.D., GNP, director of the Center for Life’s Journey; Sandy Altman, Esq., attorney and eldercare advocate; Sharon Murray-Cohen, Elder Abuse Multidisciplinary Team (EMDT) Coordinator; Diana Valentin-Miller, Research Assistant (COAP); Danielle Maglione, Occupational Therapy Assistant; and Naveda Simms, Mount Saint Mary College intern.
For further information, ElderAbuseVCoalition@gmail.com or visit www.ElderAbuseVirtualCoalition.com
About the Center on Aging and Disability Policy
Established in 2006, the Center on Aging and Disability Policy at Mount Saint Mary College promotes an interdisciplinary perspective dedicated to excellence in research and scholarship in the fields of gerontology and disability studies. Force has worked in the field of aging and disabilities for more than three decades as an administrator, clinician, and educator. Kahana, in addition to his work at the Mount, is a prolific author on subjects ranging from academics to social issues in the United States.