 |
|
Suggestion?
|
|
Do you have an idea for something not listed within our website? Please send it to us! We would love to hear from you. Use our Contact form to send us your suggestions.
|
|
|
|
|
Articles
|
| “Protect, detect and report.” |
“Protect, detect and report.” That’s the slogan for a new organization at Lac Courte Oreilles called the Native American Protection Alliance (NAPA) of LCO. The organization held a workshop, organized by Mary Wolf, LCO Elders Benefits Specialist, at the tribal office on June 23. The aim of the workshop was to train elders about the many different forms of abuse and how to identify them.
The speaker at the workshop was CJ Doxtator, the aging and disability specialist for the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence. CJ works out of Madison.
CJ explained that there are many forms of abuse from physical and financial to sexual and emotional that elders endure. He also said that elder abuse in Indian Country is common and that people are becoming more aware of it.
“The methods for reporting are better and that’s the good news,” CJ said. “But reporting is only 8% of what’s out there.” He said he didn’t have the stats because the lead agencies are in the individual counties. Tribes don’t have their own and Natives won’t go to the counties so it’s not well known, he said.
Mary Wolf indicated that there is a growing effort among LCO people to identify elder abuse. She said that the tribal council recently passed a tribal resolution regarding elder abuse.
“There is an Elder Abuse Task Force that is trying to get resolutions passed by every tribe,” Wolf said.
CJ said that last he heard there were seven tribal resolutions. “It’s a pattern that elders are coming together to address the issue.”
CJ explained that over history Indian people had such a high place for honoring their elders that it was a vulnerability.
“A lot of tribes didn’t recognize that there could be a problem but they are making this issue aware,” CJ said.
CJ Doxtator, who is an Onieda member, started out as their Elder Abuse Coordinator and then went on to work for the Native American Coalition Against Domestic Abuse and then moved to Madison to work for the state agency as the Aging and Disability Specialist. He said this agency includes not only the tribes, but main stream society and other ethnic groups.
“Part of my job is to this kind of training,” he said. He said that he is currently part of a committee that is setting up “video testimony” for elders so they don’t have to go into court and testify. This is the same for children who have been exposed to certain crimes, he said.
During the workshop CJ explained that the many forms of abuse include physical abuse which broke down to treatment without consent, willful infliction of pain or injury, emotional and sexual abuse, unreasonable confinement or restraint.
CJ explained that elder neglect is when a caregiver fails to provide adequate food, shelter, clothing, medical and dental care which results in significant danger to the physical and mental health of the elder. It’s also abuse when someone allows an elder to self-neglect these things.
Financial abuse includes misuse of elder’s money and/or property. Financial exploitation is very common, CJ said. Elders may fear harm or abandonment. They may be legally competent to make decisions regarding finances or property. It also can include theft or sale of the elder’s property, living in the elder’s home and any other exploitative acts involving funds or material goods.
|
CJ said to watch for these clues to financial exploitation; bank accounts, power of attorney, wills, checks and other legal documents, personal belongings, forgery, unauthorized use of ATM machine by others, checks bouncing, checks written for “cash”, past due accounts, sudden increase in debt, bank statements/cancelled checks no longer sent to elders home, recent change in house or car title.
CJ said that elders can do a few things such as ask banks or credit card companies to send duplicates of statements to a trusted adult child, shred unused credit card applications, ask the bank to call if certain amount is ever presented for payment, do not send money at the request of telephone solicitors, check credit history every three to four months and stay in touch with family and friends.
“Working together and not keeping secrets is one way of prevention,” CJ said. He said that an abuse tells one story over here and another over there, so if everyone talks it’s harder for the abuse to pull the wool over their eyes.
For more information you may contact Mary Wolf at the LCO Tribal Office at 634-9834, ext. 268. There is also a 24 hour crisis hotline set up at 877-552-7474.
|
Posted on Jul 26, 2010 07:42am by admin
(Return to Articles)
|
|
Copyright 2010, LCoTimes.com
|
|
|
|
|
Events Calendar
|
|
Click Here to see our Events Calendar.
|
|
|
