Editor’s note: This commentary is by Mary Hayden, who is director of development and communications for the Central Vermont Council on Aging.
Our society seeks justice for abuse victims who may be children or younger adults. Our country — rightly so — is engaged in a critical fight for justice and equal treatment for people of color. Older people of all races, ethnicities and genders are entitled to fair treatment as well. Elder justice means just that: equal treatment for older Americans.
The onset of Covid-19 during the last few months has been a reckoning of sorts for how we treat our older loved ones, neighbors and friends. It’s not just the impact of this pandemic that threatens older persons. The casual disregard for the worth of older persons is just as threatening. More shocking is how the pandemic has unleashed blatantly ageist language such as “boomer-remover.” Some (in high places) have even suggested older people are expendable and should be sacrificed for the good of our economy. The disproportionately high number of Covid-19 deaths in nursing homes in most states, including in our state of Vermont, has shocked our consciences.
If anything has come to light during this pandemic, it is how the societal structures that support equal treatment for older Americans and protect them from harm are shakier than we thought. Our interconnectedness is critical to protecting older people from abuse. Social connections which empower older people also reduce their risk of abuse. Community-based services like food delivery, transportation assistance, supports for those who are caregivers for loved ones strengthen these social connections and help to protect us as we age. Our laws, policies, economic supports and systemic responses to elder abuse must be clear and strong.
So, what can be done? At Central Vermont Council on Aging, we are using all available resources and technologies to stay connected to our clients and to assist the aging public in need. We can all be aware of the signs of elder abuse and make a report to Adult Protective Services if we suspect an older person is being abused. We must connect with our older loved ones and neighbors — call them, email them, visit with them when safe to do so. Volunteer to deliver Meals on Wheels or to provide companionship for older Vermonters. Advocate for policies which support aging with dignity and free from abuse. Importantly, speak up and challenge those who would devalue and treat older people unfairly. If you need assistance for you or another older person or caregiver, please call the Central Vermont Council on Aging Help Line at 1(800)642-5119.
Elder Abuse may include physical abuse, neglect or mistreatment, financial abuse, verbal or emotional abuse, and sexual abuse. To report elder abuse, call Vermont Adult Protective Services at 1(800) 564-1612.
