Ottawa County hosting elder abuse awareness event

PORT CLINTON — The Ottawa County Department of Job and Family Services will host an informational community gathering about the warning signs of elder abuse and neglect. The free informational event, which will be hosted in downtown Port Clinton on Tuesday, June 11, starting at 3 p.m., will feature informational resource tables discussing the warning signs of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation. Speeches from speakers at the event, including Ottawa County Department of Job and Family Services director Stephanie Kowal and Legal Aid of Western Ohio senior attorney Denise Zanni, will begin at 5 p.m. "This year, we plan on focusing more on financial exploitation, including information on who to contact when you suspect elder abuse and neglect," Kowal said. Starting at 6 p.m., live entertainment will be provided by the Island Boys. The Job and Family Services Department encourages residents to wear purple clothing, jewelry, or a purple ribbon to show support for the initiative to end elder abuse and neglect. Residents of Ottawa County who suspect elder abuse or neglect are encouraged to report it to the Ottawa County Department of Job and Family Services by phone at 419-898-3688, mail, fax, or in person at 8043 West State Route 163, Suite 200, Oak Harbor, Ohio. People can also call the statewide number, 1-855-644-6277, to report suspected elder abuse. The warning signs According to the Ohio Department of Aging, elder abuse "refers to any knowing, intentional, or negligent act by a caregiver or any other person that causes harm or a serious risk of harm to a vulnerable adult." The Ohio Board of Job and Family Services states that elder abuse is often under-reported, citing that they receive an average of 88 referrals for adult protective services each day. But the National Institutes of Health estimates most cases of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation never get reported. The Ohio Department of Aging's list of potential signs of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation include (but are not limited to): • The person has bruises, cuts, or other signs of physical harm; • The person suddenly begins acting differently; • The person avoids doing things they used to enjoy; • The person stops spending time with people they used to enjoy being around, or starts spending time with other people instead; • Another person refuses to allow visitors to see the person alone; • The person's home has become unclean, needs repairs, or is dangerous; • The person is not eating well, shows signs of dehydration, or is not clean, groomed, and dressed appropriately; • Relatives and other people who were not a big part of the person's life before suddenly become interested in their rights and property; • The person, suddenly and without explanation, changes their will or transfers money, bank account access, or property to someone else; • The person cannot or will not explain what happened to missing money or property; • The person has several unpaid bills or service disconnection notices; • The person has missed several medical appointments; and • The person takes more or less of their medications than they are supposed to.