February 22, 2008

Clergy of all denominations need to take a bigger and more focused role in recognizing, reducing and preventing the growing problem of elder abuse, a gathering of Santa Clara County religious leaders was told Thursday.

"Clergy leaders are on the front line when it comes to raising awareness of elder abuse because many seniors are active in their congregations," said Betty Malks, director of Santa Clara County's Department of Aging and Adult Services. Their support, she said, is crucial in identifying and reporting incidents and helping victims.

Across the United States, about 500,000 to 5 million cases of elder abuse happen every year, health officials estimate, but only between 5 and 20 percent are reported to authorities. Santa Clara County receives about 2,600 cases of elder and dependent abuse annually, which is very likely only a fraction of incidents that occur.

"It is a silent and hidden problem, a major social tragedy that affects every one of our communities and will continue to for decades to come," said Rabbi Bennett Blum, keynote speaker at Thursday's Clergy Summit on Elder Abuse in San Jose.

Blum, a physician who specializes geriatric psychiatry, says elder abuse cuts across all races, ethnicities, socioeconomic levels and religious affiliations, and it ends up costing society hundreds of millions of dollars in medical, social service and other support costs.

Blum says that although physical abuse is more prevalent among the elderly, a "quieter" and more insidious problem among seniors is financial abuse. "It's not as much on people's radar as physical abuse," he said. "If someone is beaten or starved it's obviously more likely to come to someone's attention. Financial abuse can be hidden for a long time."

Blum, who has extensively researched financial abuse of the elderly, says one out of six people over the age of 65 becomes a victim of financial exploitation, from caregivers and family members to unscrupulous salespeople hawking investment plans. Victims often have their life savings wiped out within months by someone who manages to gain access to their bank accounts and other financial documents, Blum said.

Once victimized by either physical or financial abuse, the elderly do not adjust well afterward. Many victims will fall into a serious decline in mental or physical health and die within 12 months. Blum says that's when intervention by the faith community can come in - before a crisis happens.

Clergy need to become more educated about elder abuse and develop resources to help victims in their places of worship, Blum said. They also should build community-wide partnerships to exchange expertise and educate new clergy on the growing problem.

Anyone who suspects elder abuse can contact Santa Clara County's Adult Protective Services at (408) 975-4900 or (800) 414-2002.