San Diego Program Combats Elder Abuse
A grant totaling $26,000 was awarded to San Diego State University to develop financial training for Adult Protective Services (APS) workers, according to recent reports.
San Diego State University is a recognized leader in the fight to prevent, rectify, and raise awareness on elder abuse in the United States. Their leadership was further recognized by the Huguette Clark Family Fund for Protection of Elders, an organization also focused on fighting elder abuse. The Huguette Clark Family Fund, along with the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging, funded the grant and awarded it to San Diego State University.
The grant will be used to develop a program to train Adult Protective Service workers, including offering online courses on financial exploitation and undue influence. The training will combine games and real-life scenarios that will encourage Adult Protective Services workers to recognize problems they may face when dealing with the elderly community, as well as training them on the appropriate steps to take to address the various types of financial exploitation. Rather than receiving a “right” or “wrong” grade, participants will be assessed on how they respond to each authentic case vignette. The program is expected to launch in the Fall of 2014.
The focus areas of the program result from SDSU’s research. Lori Delagrammatikas, program manager for SDSU’s Multidisciplinary Adult Services Training for Evaluation and Results program, stated that “financial abuse is a complex type of crime…[and] constitutes everything from holding a gun to someone’s head and taking money to undue influence to identity theft. Seniors are very vulnerable to the latter, and because it’s a complex subject, there needs to be more training for professionals on how to prevent it and how to identify it when it’s taking place.”
The California Attorney General reported that more than 200,000 people suffer elder abuse in California each year. Elder abuse can include physical, emotional, and financial abuse. If you or a family member have fallen victim to elder abuse, it is imperative you seek immediate legal help. With over 50 years of combined experience in personal injury and elder abuse law, the lawyers at Gilleon Law Firm, APC in San Diego can help you fight for your legal rights and possible just compensation. Gilleon Law Firm, APC will take aggressive action against the perpetrators of the elder neglect, abuse, or fraud, as well as explaining the legal rights and ramifications to their clients and their families. Contact the Gilleon Law Firm, APC today for a free initial consultation.
