Vilas County first responders and adult services work together in pilot program aimed at stopping elder abuse | WXPR
Abuse can happen to anyone, no matter their age.Each year, hundreds of thousands of adults over the age of 60 are abused, neglected, or financially exploited.Neglect is the most common type of abuse Donna Rosner sees. She’s worked as a Certified Adult Protective Services Social Worker in Vilas County for more than 30 years.Neglect isn’t always a caretaker failing to provide the needs of the person. Rosner says self-neglect is what’s seen most often in Wisconsin.“That might be someone developing signs of dementia, they’re driving getting lost, driving running out of gas. All the sudden they’re at the western part of the state cause they’re still driving and have lost their skills for orientation due to the level of their dementia,” said Rosner.
Financial exploitation is also a common form of elder abuse seen in the state.
Depending on the type of abuse, it can be hard for someone to recognize that it’s happening or know how best to address it.
That’s where a pilot project is coming into play.
Vilas County is one of five selected by the Wisconsin Department of Justice and UW-Green Bay.
