The Hidden Secret of Elder Abuse
RIGHT ACCORD Private Duty-Home Health Care offered a training class on Elder Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation to all the staff and caregivers on August 26, 2010. The program was presented by Diana Hayden, Director of Community Education from the Department of Children’s and Family/Adult Protective Services.
Many elderly people rely entirely on family or other trusted individuals to help them. Whether it is for physical needs or emotional needs, as people grow older they tend to need more and more help from others. This dependence on caregivers or family members makes an older person more vulnerable for abuse.
For example, an older person relying on her children to provide meals and transportation and help her with financial decisions finds it difficult to complain when one of her children takes advantage of her. If, for instance, the child takes her money, hits her or neglects her care, the parent may be threatened with loss of support from the child if the parent complains. The child may also use threats of violence to keep the parent in line.
It is estimated that 5% to 10% of elderly Americans are suffering abuse. According to the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse,
“Spiraling rates of elder mistreatment are reported by both practitioners and researchers. In a recent national study of Adult Protective Services (APS), typically the agency of first report concerning elder abuse, there were 253,421 reports of abuse of adults age 60+ or 832.6 reports for every 100,000 people over the age of 60 (Teaster, Dugar, Otto, Mendiondo, Abner, & Cecil, 2006). The National Elder Abuse Incidence Study (National Center on Elder Abuse, 1998) found that more than 500,000 persons aged 60+ were victims of domestic abuse and that an estimated 84% of incidents are not reported to authorities, denying victims the protection and support they need.”
Much attention has been focused on abuse in nursing homes but most of the elder abuse in this country is at the hands of family members or other caregivers in the home.
In 2004, Utah Adult Protective Services workers investigated approximately 2,400 allegations of abuse, neglect or exploitation of vulnerable adults. In Utah, a vulnerable adult is defined as an elder adult (65 years of age or older) or an adult (18 years of age or older) who has a mental or physical impairment, which substantially affects that person’s ability to protect or provide for themselves. The majority of the victims were females between the ages of 60-89 and 60% of the perpetrators were family members/relatives, while 24% were non-related paid caregivers.
The protective needs identified were as follows:
- self-neglect 31%
- physical abuse 16%
- exploitation 19%
- caretaker neglect 12%
- emotional abuse 19%
- sexual abuse 3%
In conducting the investigations, it was not uncommon to find that adults who were self-neglecting were also being exploited or abused. As stated previously, these statistics are based on approximately 2,400 cases, thus, if only one in ten cases are ever reported, it is possible that there were actually 24,000 or more cases in Utah that year. We suspect 9 out of 10 is close to the actual ratio of unreported versus reported cases in Utah.
We also believe that Utah’s lack of reporting elder abuse is not unlike other states in the country. We suspect all the states are experiencing close to the same ratios of underreporting as in Utah.
There are a number of reasons why incidents of abuse, neglect, or exploitation are not reported to Adult Protective Services or other authorities. One of the most common reasons is the victim’s fear of losing support. Many of the perpetrators are family members and the victim fears that reporting the crime will result in removal of the caregiver, as the perpetrator may face incarceration or may discontinue relations with the victim once accused, charged, or convicted. Many of these victims fear that by reporting abuse they will be left alone and expected to care for themselves or they will be forced to live in a nursing home.
Many states have implemented mandatory reporting laws to assist in the prevention of abuse, neglect or exploitation of vulnerable adults. Utah is one of the many states to have a mandatory reporting law (U.C.A. § 76-5-111). Utah law states that any person who has reason to believe that a vulnerable adult has been the subject of abuse, neglect, or exploitation shall immediately notify Adult Protective Services or the nearest law enforcement agency. Anyone who makes the report in good faith is immune from civil liability in connection with the report; however, any person who willfully fails to report is guilty of a class B misdemeanor.
It is important to note that the anonymity of the person or persons making the initial report and any other persons involved in the subsequent investigation shall be preserved and may only be released in accordance with the rules of the division (U.C.A. § 62A-3-311). In addition, all investigation information is confidential.
The following is a list of indicators of abuse, neglect or exploitation. It is important to note that the following lists are merely indicators and may not always be violations.
Signs of Abuse:
- Unexplained bruises, welts, fractures, abrasions or lacerations
- Multiple bruises in various stages of healing
- Multiple/repeat injuries
- Low self-esteem or loss of self determination
- Withdrawn, passive
- Fearful
- Depressed, hopeless
- Soiled linen or clothing
- Social Isolation
Signs of Neglect/Self-Neglect:
- Dehydration
- Malnourishment
- Inappropriate or soiled clothing
- Odorous
- Over/under medicated
- Deserted, abandoned or unattended
- Lack of medical necessities or assistive devices
- Unclean environment
- Social Isolation
Signs of Exploitation:
- Missing/”disappearing” property
- Inadequate living environment
- Frequent/recent property title changes or will changes
- Excessive home repair bills
- Forced to sign over control of finances
- No/limited money for food, clothes and other amenities
Prevention can only occur if there is awareness, the statutes are adhered to, and any suspicions of abuse, neglect or exploitation of vulnerable adults are immediately reported to Adult Protective Services and/or law enforcement.
For more information or to report abuse, please visit: http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/programs/abuse/report.shtml
Tags: care provider, caregivers, elder abuse, elderly care, Florida, in-home care assistance, sarasota, seniors, transportation
Kathryn Larkin, Client Relations and Human Resources Manager of RIGHT ACCORD Private Duty-Home Health Care served as a volunteer at the Sarasota Senior Friendship Center the entire of summer 2010. Kathryn participated in Tech Boot Camp, Karaoke and other Programs.
RIGHT ACCORD empowers staff to give back through volunteer services to serve the community.
Senior Friendship Centers, Inc., established in 1973, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping older adults live with dignity and independence and home instead in Sarasota, Desoto, Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties. Funded in part by State and Federal agencies, and support from private foundations and individuals, Senior Friendship Centers serves more than 10,000 older adults annually.
Located in beautiful Luke Wood Park near downtown Sarasota is the home of Senior Friendship Centers, just at the curve of Mound Street where 301 and Tamiami Trail come together. For more information of other events and programs please call 941.955.2122 or visit their website at:
http://www.friendshipcenters.org/sarasota/index.cfm?location=sarasota&locID=1
Tags: dignity, Florida, home, home care, home instead, independence, older adults, sarasota, seniors
RIGHT ACCORD is participating in the 14th Annual Sunset Silent Auction, a fund raising event to benefit the Lutheran Services of Florida. The event is on October 10, 2010 Saturday at The Chelsea Center located at 2506 Gulf Gate Drive, Sarasota, Florida.
RIGHT ACCORD Client Relations and Human Resources Manager, Kathryn Larkin, MBA is involved in the fund raising committee. The company and it’s staff are working together to raise auction items solicit donors for the event.
In response to the increasing need for guardianship services throughout Florida, the Lutheran Services Florida (LSF) Guardianship Program has continually expanded since it was originally founded in 1982. Currently, the program serves incapacitated individuals in Sarasota, Manatee, Hillsborough, Escambia, Santa Rosa, Walton, Okaloosa, Charlotte and De Soto Counties.
The goal of the Sarasota Guardianship Program is to protect some of the communtity’s most vulnerable citizens from abuse, neglect and exploitation while ensuring their quality of life with the dignity they deserve. LSF accomplishes this by being appointed guardian for individuals identified at risk enabling LSF to assess and monitor their ongoing physical, psychological, sociological and financial needs.
For more information or to reach the Lutheran Services Florida in Sarasota, please call 941.358.6330 or visit their website at: www.lsfnet.org
If you wish to donate auction items or purchase a ticket for the event, please call RIGHT ACCORD at 941.366.0801
Tags: elder abuse, elderly, Florida, guardianship, sarasota, senior care, seniors
Medication Problems and the Elderly
At 83 years old, Martha still lived in her own home, and enjoyed working in her garden and canning peaches. It was becoming harder to motivate herself, to get up in the mornings and accomplish the day’s tasks. She confided to her daughter that she felt anxious and tired. Her daughter, who was taking medication for her anxiety, took Martha to her own doctor, not Martha’s and got her a prescription for Valium. In doing so, the daughter’s doctor, who had never seen Martha and who did not have her medical history, was only aware of a few medications they told him she was taking.
Martha, in fact, was taking 9 different medications as well as herbal supplements.
The addition of Valium to her existing list of prescribed drugs sent her to the emergency room with respiratory distress. If she had gone to her own doctor, he would have found that a dosage adjustment of her current medications would have solved her anxiety.
Medication errors are common in the elderly. Many seniors take on average 6- 8 different prescriptions as well as over the counter drugs. Many times the elderly will not go back to their doctor to have their dosage evaluated and changed if necessary. Family members should be aware, that elderly parents may tend to take the family’s advice over going to their own doctor. Even though children want to help increase the health and stamina of their parents, they may in fact be causing damage by misdirecting their loved ones.
Where a younger person can benefit from herbal supplements like Ginkgo Biloba, Saw Palmetto and others, in older people, these herbals may cause adverse reactions with their prescription medications.
In 2003, a panel of experts put together a list of potential medications that would not be appropriate to give to seniors. This is called the “ Beers List ” after one of the research professionals.
Dr. Donna M Fick, R.N. one of the panel members for updating the “Beers List,” states in her article on Seniorjournal.com:
“Just as our bodies physically slow down as we age, changes occur in the way that older bodies handle pharmaceuticals, and this has motivated experts to develop a list of drugs that may be harmful to elderly patients.
“With age, drugs tend to build up in the body, and the distribution and elimination of drugs from the body changes as well,” says Dr. Donna M. Fick, R.N., associate professor of nursing at Penn State. “Many drugs, like diazepam (Valium) and other anti-anxiety drugs build up fast.”
An on-line article on HealthSquare.com , Titled “Drugs and the Elderly,” talks about physical symptoms and medications.
“ Among the first signs that a drug may not be working properly in an older person is a change in mood, energy, attitude, or memory. Too often, these alterations are overlooked, ignored, or chalked off to “old age” or senility. Older people may themselves feel that their blue mood is caused by something external such as the death of a friend or simply by boredom. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Virtually every heart medication, blood pressure drug, sleeping pill, and tranquilizer has been known to trigger depressive symptoms.
When a psychological symptom appears in an older person, examine his or her medication or drug use first. Consider, too, factors like alcohol intake, poor nutrition, and hormone imbalance. And never dismiss the possibility that a real psychological problem has developed and may itself require medication.”
There are many things family members can do to help monitor medications for their elderly parents.
- Make a list of medicines prescribed and all supplements being taken.
- Give this list to the doctor and pharmacist and have one on hand for emergencies.
- Use the same Pharmacy to fill all prescriptions. Pharmacies keep a record of your prescribed drugs and will verify your doctor’s instructions. They will also tell you if foods or over the counter supplements will interact with a prescription.
- Dispense pills in a daily pill organizer box.
- Have a family member be responsible to call or physically monitor the taking of medication
Family members who live long distances from their elders have available to them
new technology in medication monitoring.
- Alarms for pill boxes, watch alarms, medical alarm bands and necklaces that ring a reminder.
- Computerized pill box dispensers that ring a designated number if the pills have not been taken.
- Home Telehealth -
“Technology has developed computer and computer cameras to help the elderly in their homes stay safe and healthy. Home telehealth-set up by medical professionals in the home–enables providers to monitor such things as medications and blood pressure and actually see the patient. Patient questions are answered and advice is given, while the monitoring nurse views through the video phone how his or her patient looks physically.” The 4 Steps of Long Term Care Planning, Pg 92
- Home Care Agencies – Home care companies offer a variety of service options in helping families care for and properly dispense medication to their elder parents.
Overmedication or taking medication incorrectly may lead to early mental confusion and decline in health in seniors. “If medication problems were ranked as a disease in cause of death it would be the 5 th leading cause in the United States”. (from article on LongTermLiving)
Rosemarie Tamunday-Casanova, RN owner and Administrator of RIGHT ACCORD Private Duty-Home Health Care is giving presentations on Medication Safety and Management in Active Retirement Communities. Her last presentation at the De Soto Beach Club in Sarasota, Florida on August 25, 2010 created a great awareness of the importance of medication management and the key to keeping residents independent as long as they possibly can. http://www.holidaytouch.com/Our-Communities/desoto-beach-club.aspx
RIGHT ACCORD offers medication assistance to seniors who have trouble with medication management. Please call 941.366.0801.
Tags: caregivers, elderly, elderly parents, Florida, health, independent, medication problems, sarasota, seniors
Memory Walk 2010
starts now at RIGHT ACCORD.
Memory Walk is the nation’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer care, support and research — and it calls on people of all ages to take action in the fight. Year-round, our participants are leaders in the effort to defeat this devastating disease.
Currently more than 5 million elderly Americans have Alzheimer’s, and 78 million baby boomers who will soon become seniors are at risk – unless we find a way to change the course of this disease.
We are determined to make a difference in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. By participating in the 2010 Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk®, We are committed to raising awareness and funds for Alzheimer research, care and support.
RIGHT ACCORD is participating on this important event this fall. We are taking steps to raise money for the fight against Alzheimer’s Disease. Rosemarie Tamunday-Casanova, owner and Administrator of Right Accord Private Duty-Home Health Care recently celebrated her birthday party and entertained friends with a cause. She was able to raise over $600 on one night.
RIGHT ACCORD is having other fun creative things to help meet the team’s fund raising goal this year. If you or your loved one had been affected by this disease or simply you want to donate for our cause, please click on this link:
The Florida Gulf Coast Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk is scheduled on October 23, 2010 at 8:00am at the Lido Beach Pavilion. For additional information or questions, please contact 1.800.272.3900 or visit: www.alz.org/FLGulfCoast
Tags: Alzheimer's disease, elderly, home care, Memory Walk, private duty, sarasota, seniors
PRESS RELEASE
For further information contact:
Rosemarie Tamunday-Casanova, RN, BSN, CCRN, MHA
Administrator
(941) 366-0801
Email: rose@rightaccordhealth.com
www.RightAccordTrainingCenter.com
September 1, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CARRERS AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN HEALTH CARE
Sarasota, August 16, 2010 Rosemarie Tamunday-Casanova, a Registered Nurse, Owner and Administrator of RIGHT ACCORD Private Duty – Home Health Care presented a topic on “Careers and Employment Opportunities in Health Care at the Sarasota Women’s Resource Center. Tamunday-Casanova experience in health care industry span over 25 years in acute care settings, home care and health care administration. The free presentation offers women to learn about employment and training opportunities in the health care field.
For more information for the next upcoming free presentation, please visit www.the WomensResourceCenter.org or call 941.366.1700
According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), The nation is facing an impending shortage of nurses, which is expected to peak by 2020; here are some of the prime indicators:
According to projections released in February 2004 from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, RNs top the list of the 10 occupations with the largest projected job growth in the years 2002-2012. Although RNs have listed among the top 10 growth occupations in the past, this is the first time in recent history that RNs have ranked first. These 10-year projections are widely used in career guidance, in planning education and training programs and in studying long-range employment trends. According to the BLS report, more than 2.9 million RNs will be employed in the year 2012, up 623,000 from the nearly 2.3 million RNs employed in 2002. However, the total job openings, which include both job growth and the net replacement of nurses, will be more than 1.1 million. This growth, coupled with current trends of nurses retiring or leaving the profession and fewer new nurses, could lead to a nursing shortage of more than one million nurses by the end of this decade. (For details, see www.bls.gov/emp/#outlook.)
RIGHT ACCORD Private Duty-Home Health Care is a company based in Sarasota, Florida providing in-home care assistance to seniors in the community who prefers to maintain their independence and lifestyle at the comfort of their own homes. Caregivers are certified nursing assistants, home health aides, homemakers and companions. We service Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch, Bradendon, Venice, North Port, Longboat Key, Siesta Key, Osprey, Nokomis and all it’s sorrounding areas.
Tags: caregivers, Certified Nursing Assistants, companions, home health aides, in-home care assistance, longboat key, sarasota, seniors, venice
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Health Care Training Center Granted License from Florida Board Of Education
Sarasota, July 14, 2010 RIGHT ACCORD TRAINING CENTER a division of RIGHT ACCORD Private Duty-Home Health Care has met substantially all the standards for licensure. The Florida Board of Education - Commission for Independent Education has voted to grant the license.
RIGHT ACCORD TRAINING CENTER is a health care training institute dedicated to shaping excellent health care providers. The training center offers Home Health Aide (HHA) 40 and 75 hour Courses, Certified Nursing Assistant (C N A) Course and Certified Companion Aide (CCA) Course. The training center also offers CPR / First Aid Training and Continuing Education Courses to meet state licensure annual mandatory requirements for health care professionals.
To work in a licensed-only agency the home health aide must complete at least 40 hours of training or successfully complete a competency test given by the home health agency. Some home health agencies require additional training above these minimum hours.
To work for a Medicare or Medicaid home health agency, a home health aide must complete at least 75 hours of training and/or successfully complete a competency evaluation given by the home health agency.
To work as a home health aide in home care, a home health aide must provide documentation of successful completion of at least 40 hours of home health aide training by a public vocational technical school or a private career education school licensed by the Florida Department of Education.
RIGHT ACCORD TRAINING CENTER engages, equips, and empowers students to fulfill their ambitions and to serve the society. Believing that each person possesses natural strengths and developing abilities which can lead to a full and satisfying life, RIGHT ACCORD TRAINING CENTER educates students who represent a wide range of ages, achievements, and expectations. Committed to the development of the whole person- mind, body and spirit – and to preparing students for responsible citizenship in their communities and in a diverse changing world.
To inquire or register for a course, please visit www.RightAccordTrainingCenter.com
The Company can be reached at (941)366-0801.
Tags: caregivers, CNA, cna continuing education, CNA Course, CPR Training, First Aid Training, Florida, Home Health Aide, sarasota
August 1, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RIGHT ACCORD Private Duty-Home Health Care INITIATES PROACTIVE MEASURES TO ENSURE SARASOTA AND MANATEE COMMUNITY in Florida RECEIVES BEST CARE
Sarasota County, June 8, 2010 – As a son, daughter, sibling or spouse of someone who has, or will need, home care services, nothing is more important than selecting the right caregiver for your loved one. RIGHT ACCORD Private Duty-Home Health Care announces a new CAREGIVER QUALITY ASSURANCE program (CQA) to identify home care companies and companion care companies that go above and beyond the norm when selecting quality caregivers and ensure the best care is provided.
The CAREGIVER QUALITY ASSURANCE program allows RIGHT ACCORD Private Duty-Home Health Care to select the right individual who represents their standards and values of making each client and family member’s experience with RIGHT ACCORD Private Duty-Home Health Care pleasant, consistent, safe and worry-free.
RIGHT ACCORD Private Duty-Home Health Care is committed to matching each client to the right caregiver through its Caregiver Pre-employment Assessment. This unique technology identifies individuals with the potential to put loved ones at risk. The caregiver pre-employment assessment examines whether an applicant has the right personality and behavioral skills to provide quality care. These criterion include:
- Dependability — Measures the risk that an individual will be undependable, careless, lazy or disorganized.
- Honesty/Integrity — Measures the risk for dishonest behavior.
- Hostility/Aggression — Measures the risk of a person being aggressive, hostile, disruptive or having poor control of their anger.
- Substance Abuse — Measures the risk of substantial use of alcohol or illegal drugs.
Additionally, the assessment measures six core traits that are designed to better match caregivers more closely to the client’s personality and needs.
RIGHT ACCORD Private Duty-Home Health Care made the decision to use the Private Duty Caregiver Pre-employment Assessment and become a member of the CAREGIVER QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM, to ensure its clients and their loved ones feel confident in the quality of care received by the caregivers. Both initiatives are provided by Leading Home Care of Louisville, Kentucky.
For more information about RIGHT ACCORD Private Duty-Home Health Care or CAREGIVER QUALITY ASSURANCE, visit www.RightAccordHealth.com or HTTP://WWW.SELECTACAREGIVER.COM.
RIGHT ACCORD provide caregiver services in Florida, Sarasota and Manatee Counties and it’s neighboring towns. Services are available in Venice, Longboat Key, Bird Key, Siesta Key, Casey Key, Lakewood Ranch and North Port.
Contact:
Rosemarie Tamunday-Casanova, RN, BSN, CCRN, MHA – (941) 366-0801
Tags: best care, caregivers, companion, Florida, home care services, home health, longboat key, private duty, Sarasota County
PRESS RELEASE
For further information contact:
Rosemarie Tamunday-Casanova, Administrator
(941) 366-0801
Email: rose@rightaccordhealth.com
www.RightAccordHealth.com
July 19, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Good Deed to Benefit Local Organization
Sarasota, June 23, 2010 RIGHT ACCORD Private Duty-Home Health Care
Kathryn Larkin, Client Relations & HR Manager of RIGHT ACCORD Private- Duty Home Health Care, participated in the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) by being “locked-up in jail” in order to raise bail to benefit children with MDA. Larkin raised $230 and the funds will be able to help a child with one group session and one physical, occupational or respiratory therapy consultation.
The organization can be reached at www.mda.org
RIGHT ACCORD Private Duty-Home Health Care provides an affordable solution for older individuals or couples capable of managing their physical needs or personal care, but who require non-medical assistance, light housework, meal preparation and/or companionship in order to remain at home. Right Accord provides services in Sarasota, Bradenton, Longboat Key, Venice, Siesta Key, Casey Key, North Port and neighboring towns.
RIGHT ACCORD services can be arranged for as little as three hours, or for as many as 24 hours, a day. Short term assistance or longer term care is available seven days a week, including holidays.
When a potential client contacts the company, RIGHT ACCORD will arrange a meeting with the client and his or her families to discuss what services are needed. “Cost is on an hourly basis, “Tamunday-Casanova said, “so hours can be decreased or increased based on changing needs.”
The company’s Caregivers are carefully selected individuals who are thoroughly screened, bonded and insured. “Special attention is given to matching Caregivers with clients to achieve the utmost compatibility, “Tamunday – Casanova said.
The Company can be reached at (941)366-0801.
Tags: bradenton, companionship, help at home, home care, homemakers, longboat key, personal care, sarasota, venice
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2010
Local Critical Care Nurse Recognized for Career Milestone
Rosemarie Tamunday-Casanova, Administrator of Right Accord Private Duty-Home Health Care, a licensed Home Health Agency providing in-home care assistance to seniors in Sarasota, Florida received notional recognition for reaching a significant milestone in the nursing profession: Since 1990 she has consistently maintained CCRNR Certification offered through AACN Certification Corporation. Rosemarie is one of 1,432 CCRNs being honored this year by the corporation and the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses for 20 years of continuous certification.
CCRN certification is an expert credential reserved for those who meet rigorous practice, continuing education and testing requirements in their specialty; it is not the same as an RN license, which assures the public that a nurse has the required entry-level knowledge and skills to care for patients. Certification has been linked to fewer medical errors and increased job satisfaction and confidence. Hospitals that encourage and support their nurses in becoming certified demonstrate to their patients a high level of commitment to creating an exceptional care environment and, to their nurses, a culture of professionalism and retention imperative in today’s healthcare environment.
For more information, contact Right Accord at 366-0801 or visit www.RightAccordHealth.com.
RThe American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) is the largest specialty nursing organization in the world representing the interests of more than 50,000 critical care nurses. Its international headquarters are located in Aliso Viejo, California. Founded in 1969, the association has more than 240 chapters worldwide and is working toward a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and their families, where critical care nurses make their optimal contribution. Complete information about AACN is available on the Internet at www.aacn.org.
AACN Certification Corporation provides comprehensive credentialing for nurses who establish and maintain standards of excellence in acute and critical care nursing and who contribute to the achievement of optimal health outcomes for persons experiencing acute and life-threatening illness. The corporation certifies more than 59,000 nurses in the areas of acute and critical care nursing.
Tags: home health care, in-home care assistance, nurses, private duty, sarasota, Sarsota Florida, seniors
