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Although Native Americans have one of the lowest rates of Elder abuse in the
United States, it is becoming a national epidemic and Indian Country is not immune.
AUGUST 15, 1999
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By Oscar Johnson
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len a Grand Ronde Elder
placed a classified ad in a
newspaper for a caretaker
last year he thought the 32-year-old
woman he hired would be the help
he neededWound his modest trailer
home.
But after little more than a year,
the Elder, who wants his story told
but his name withheld, had been
allegedly terrorized, manipulated,
robbed of at least $60,000 and worse,
by a woman who reportedly had
numerous prior felony convictions.
"In March I got an anonymous call
from someone who said (the client)
was in danger," recounts Sharon
Woods, Grand Ronde domestic vio
lence advocate. "They said the care
taker had taken out a loan of
$85,000 on the client's property
without his knowledge and planned
to buy the property next to his."
Woods, who revealed details of the
case with the Elder's permission,
spent a year collecting enough evi
dence to warrant an arrest. Finally,
she learned that the caretaker vio
lated parole by taking the Elder
across state lines to apply for their
marriage license.
She says an informant also re
corded the caretaker detailing plans
to draw up a false will for the Elder
and quotes her recorded plans "to
take him for a walk down by the
river and everyone knows old (the
Elder) can't swim."
"After hearing the tape there was
no doubt in my mind," says Woods,
' a 13-year-veteran domestic violence
worker.
With the ongoing help of watch
ful neighbors and Polk and Yamhill
county law enforcement, the care
taker is now in jail awaiting trial on
four counts of criminal mistreatment
of an Elder, four counts of theft and
two counts of aggravated theft.
Though not necessarily a 'happy
ending,' concerned neighbors and
local authorities can take some so
lace in knowing they were able to
intervene before things got worse.
But the senior tribal member is one
of more than 10 percent of the
nation's 60 and over population in
the last year estimated to have fallen
victim to Elder abuse.
Experts say this rampant crime in
cludes physical and emotional abuse;
financial or material exploitation;
and neglect and abandonment, and
is most often committed by someone
well known to the victim.
The amount of overall reported
cases in the United States have spi-
raled more than 150 percent, from
117,000 in 1986 to 293,000 in 1996
(the newest available statistics), ac
cording to a National Center on El
der Abuse report.
In 1997, the allegations of Elder
abuse in the state of Oregon alone
were reported at 9,182, according to
a Senior and Disabled Service Divi
sion report.
The Center on Elder Abuse esti
mates the problem is so under re
ported that only one in 14 incidents
are ever reported to authorities,
making the already epidemic-like
statistics "only the tip of the iceberg."
Woods says that since she started
working for the Grand Ronde Tribe
17 months ago, she has seen nine
varying degrees of Elder abuse cases.
Native Americans, along with
Asian Americans, have the lowest
rate of Elder abuse (Less than one
percent) compared to any other ra
cial 'group in the nation.
Native American cultures place
high value on honoring Elders but
advocates say there's still certain is
sues specific to the problem of Elder
abuse in Indian Country.
While Elder neglect nudges ahead
of financial exploitation as the No. 1
type of abuse in mainstream
America, at first glance various
forms of monetary theft seem to take
the lead in Native America (from a
1989 study).
, Woods also says about half of the
Elder abuse cases she has dealt with
in Grand Ronde involve allegations
of financial exploitation.
High poverty, unemployment and
substance abuse; the loosening of ex
tended family ties; subtle yet strong
pressure to assimilate non-Indian ,
culture; and increased conflict across
the generation gap are all contrib
uting factors to Native Elder abuse,
the study says.
In addition to the secrecy and de
nial that often shroud all forms of
domestic violence, NavajoGerontol
ogy Institute and Center on Elder
Abuse data site severe isolation as
Possible indicators of Elder abuse
Irregular injuries such as cuts, bruises, burns or welts
Irregular weight loss, malnutrition, soiled bed or clothing
Unusual feelings of fear, withdrawal, denial or agitation
Helplessness or hesitation to talk openly
Unusual bank account activity
Change of will or power of attorney
Numerous unpaid bills, missing items or money
Untreated medical conditions
Ways to avoid Elder abuse
Avoid isolation: frequent community activities such as
Elder luncheons, bingo, clubs or community groups
Keep in touch with friends and relatives
When hiring a worker check their background by calling
previous employers, personal references or check for
criminal records
Keep money and financial documents in a safe place,
preferably in a bank
Maintain access to a telephone
Be familiar with available local services such as clinics,
social workers and community groups
T
another contributor to Elder abuse
especially those incidents that go
unreported.
Isolation can also indicate that
abuse is in play.
"Seniors should make sure that
they don't become isolated," says
Aileen Kaye, Senior Services' Abuse
Prevention Unit coordinator. "They
should keep in touch with friends by
doing things like attending meal
sites or making sure they have a
friend they can talk to regularly."
In the case of the Grand Ronde
Elder, the caretaker came on the
scene and she perpetuated the iso
lation to the extent of trying to deny
Woods and police access to the vic
tim on several occasions.
'The caretaker took total control
she isolated him," says Woods. "Of
course, that's how these things are
done."
This isolation might have been fa
tal if not for neighbors, friends and
fellow tribal members who main
tained contact with the Elder, made
near weekly calls to Grand Ronde
Community Resources' 24-hour cri
sis line and continue to provide
meals, transportation and refuge af
ter the crisis.
"It's like a huge community
watch," Woods says about her latest
case of Elder abuse. "A hats off to
everyone who helped out in this com
munity. To have 100 eyes out in the
community really helps."
Report Elder Abuse to:
Sharon Woods, Grand Ronde Domestic Violence Advocate: 1-888-654-8198
Polk County Sheriff Grand Ronde Substation: 879-2420
Your local law enforcement agency
If you suspect abuse, report it You could be saving a life.