AARP Connecticut says a recent report by state auditors points out the need to better coordinate efforts to help seniors who are suffering from abuse.
"Older adults are complete, complex people, just like anybody else!" AARP Connecticut Associate State Director Anna Doroghazi said. She says several different state agencies respond to complaints of elder abuse, and they don't do a good job of connecting the dots.
"One of the things that I kept coming back to as I read the report is that how we respond to older adults when it comes to abuse, and when it comes to their lives in general, is so specific that it makes it hard to see the forest for the trees," Doroghazi said.
The auditors found that high caseloads have limited the ability of Protective Services for the Elderly workers to visit with clients every month, as required.
There has been a steep decline in the number of volunteers available for regular visits to nursing homes.
The auditors also found that many people in jobs that are required under state law to report elder abuse did NOT know about the requirements.
