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December 3. 2008
PageA5
S enior
Providence
Hospital
jving
Knowing the Signs of Elder Abuse
DHS investigated 12,897 alle­
gations o f abuse o f elderly or
physically disabled O regonians
in 2007 and substantiated more
than 4,200, a 5.5 percent increase
o ver 2008. Based on national
trends, the actual num ber o f cases
o f elder abuse in Oregon may
have been much higher.
E ld e r A b u se P re v e n tio n
M onth activities, held in conjunc­
tion with national efforts by the
N ational Center on Elder Abuse,
are designed to raise that aw are­
ness and help O regonians under­
stand how to help this vulnerable
population, Toew s says.
"O ur staff do an excellent job
o f identifying these situations and
providing assistance, but they
need help from the public,” says
Toew s. "A s O regon’s popula­
tion ages, this type o f abuse is
bound to increase unless we all
becom e more aware o f the signs
o f abuse and more willing to re­
port or prevent it.”
Few cases are reported
Goes ‘No
Smoking’
P rovidence health facilities
in O regon have jo in e d m ore
than 1,200 hospitals and c lin ­
ics n ationw ide that have gone
tob acco free.
"A s a leading health care
p rovider. P rovidence H ealth
& S ervices is com m itted to
p ro m o tin g a c tiv e , h e a lth y
lifestyles for o u r patients and
e m p lo y e e s ," s a id R u s s
D a n ie ls o n ,
th e
h e a lth
p ro v id er’s ch ie f executive.
P ro v id e n ce 's new policy
affec ts 75 p ro p erties sta te ­
w id e , in c lu d in g h o sp ita ls,
clin ic s, and ad m in istra tio n
and service buildings.
T o m ake patients, visitors
and em p lo y ees m ore c o m ­
fo rtable as the policy is e n ­
fo rc ed , P ro v id e n ce is p ro ­
v iding "care packs" c o n tain ­
ing nicotine lozenges and in ­
form ation on tob acco c e ssa­
tion resources in the co m m u ­
nity through the end o f Ja n u ­
ary.
"W hile the dan g ers o f to ­
b acco use have been clearly
d e m o n s tr a te d , P ro v id e n c e
also recognizes that tobacco
is highly addictive and d iffi­
cu lt for som e people to quit
using," D anielson said. "P ro­
viding com passionate service
is p art o f o u r M ission, so
im plem entation o f our new
policy will include providing
support for people w ho e i­
th er w ant to quit o r m ay not
n ecessarily be ready to do
so."
O fficials are focusing on the havioral changes, adecline in self-
fact that elder abuse is a grow ing care, and changes in financial sta­
problem nationally and in Oregon, tus.
but very few abuse cases are ever
Oregon law defines elder abuse
reported. • N ational studies esti­ as physical injury not caused by
mate that 3-5 million seniors age accident, neglect leading to harm,
65 and older nationw ide h a w ex ­ abandonm ent, intentional inflic­
perienced abuse, but only one in tion o f physical pain or injury,
five abuse cases is reported.
unw anted sexual contact or the
"N o type of abuse should be inability to consent to sexual con­
tolerated, but elder abuse is an tact, and threatening to take or
under-reported erim e because taking money or property.
people do not know how to recog­
Anyone witnessing or suspect­
nize the signs, and they don't know ing abuse of those populations is
how to report it when they do see asked to call the toll-free Abuse
it,” says James D. Toews, Oregon Hotline: 1 -800-232-3020. The De­
Department o f Human Services partment of Human Services and
assistant director for seniors and Area Agencies on Aging provide
people with disabilities. "W e have protective services and investi­
to raise awareness of elder abuse gate reports of suspected abuse.
and wayk to report it before we can
They determ ine if abuse has
hope to prevent it.”
occurred and work with law en ­
Signs of elder abuse include forcem ent when a potential crim e The emotional and physical toll of elder abuse on the victim
physical injuries, emotional or be- may have occurred.
and his or her family can be devastating.
Making Every Dollar Count
M aking every d o lla r c o u n tis
im portant d uring these d ifficult
fin an c ial tim es. F o rtu n a te ly ,
p racticin g energy efficien cy in
y o u r hom e is an ex cellen t way
to create cash w ithout sa crific­
ing com fort. A nd it’s good for
the environm en t.
T he B onneville P ow er A d­
m inistration brings you these
easy-to-im plem ent energy-effi-
ciency tips:
U se c o m p a c t ' SAVE
fluorescent bulbs. energy
R eplace o ld -fash ­
ioned incandescent
bulbs, which use 75 per
cent more energy, in the most
com m only used areas in your
home, such as the kitchen and
family room.
Low er the therm ostat. Each
I
degree you low er the
therm ostat on your
heating system
decreases your
fuel bill by 3 per­
cent. Going from 72
degrees down to 68
degrees doesn't mat­
ter much in terms of
com fort, but it can
save up to 12 percent
Home Care Benefits Outlined
A n au d it o f M u ltn o m a h C o u n ty 's
M e d ic a id L o n g -te rm C a re P ro g ram ,
w h ich se rv e s v ery lo w -in c o m e s e ­
n io rs an d d isa b le d a d u lts, fo u n d that
h o m e c a re an d o th e r a lte rn a tiv e s are
less e x p e n siv e an d less r e s tric tiv e
th a n n u rs in g f a c ilitie s , a n d a llo w
h ig h e r le v e ls o f ca re fo r p a tie n ts.
T h e rec en t au d it fo u n d th a t in 2 0 0 7 ,
the a v e ra g e a n n u a l c o s t-p e r-c lie n t for
Save with energy efficiency
on your heating bill.
W in terize y o u r hom e. M ost
hom es have cracks and leaks
that are equal to a tw o-foot
square open w indow . A pply
w eather-stripping to stop drafts
around doors and w indow s and
calk cracks. For large cracks that
d o n 't c o n ta in m o v in g p arts,
such as in w alls, floors or fo u n ­
datio n s, apply spray foam insu-
in -h o m e ca re w as $ 7 .6 0 0 co m p ared
to th e a v e ra g e co st o f n u rsin g h o m e
c a re p e r c lie n t o f $ 3 2 ,5 0 0 .
T h e lo n g -te rm ca re p ro g ra m , m a n ­
ag ed by the A g in g an d D isa b ility S e r­
v ices D iv isio n , p ro v id e s case m a n ­
a g e m e n t for o v e r 7 ,0 0 0 co u n ty resi-
lation.
BPA and its utility custom ers
are partnering to prom ote energy
efficiency. In fiscal year 2008
alone, BPA-sponsored energy ef­
ficiency programs and incentives
produced energy savings equal
to the amount o f electricity it
would take to power65,0(X) homes
in the Pacific N orthwest for an
entire year.
d e n ts .
T he goal o f the program is to link
needy in d iv id u als w ith appropriate ser­
vices and to provide clien ts w ith alter­
natives to n u rsin g hom e p lacem ent,
such as in-hom e care o r assisted living
facilities.
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OR 12/08