June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, a valuable opportunity to talk about the problem of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, which impacts up to 73,000 older adults in our state. Ensuring the physical, mental, financial well-being of older adults is critical to the process of healthy aging.
That’s why the Health Fund’s Healthy Aging team works with partners across Michigan to develop strategies and safeguards that prevent elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, while creating effective protections and supports for those affected.
This focus is reflected in our grantmaking. Our Healthy Aging RFP includes a high-level priority focus on elder justice, and we’re interested in ideas of all kinds that support a safer, healthier, and more just environment for older adults in Michigan.
Investments to prevent abuse
In recent years, this has taken shape in the form of projects to prevent financial exploitation of seniors, provide access to safe housing and supportive services for those experiencing abuse, systemic reforms to Michigan’s guardianship program, and more. Some examples:
The Region 2 Area Agency on Aging has developed a program model known as “Safe Haven,” which provides safety and supportive services for older adults experiencing abuse, including temporary emergency shelter. The model centers on securing safe housing and engages in a team-based approach to service delivery that allows partner agencies to meet the complex needs of seniors in emergency situations. The Health Fund is supporting expansion of this nationally recognized model across the state.
We’re also supporting efforts led by the Institute of Gerontology at Wayne State University to develop a financial exploitation prevention program. This comprehensive model engages health care partners, senior living communities, and financial institutions to identify and reduce financial vulnerability among at-risk older adults.
Meanwhile, more than 60 percent of cases referred to Michigan’s Adult Protective Services in 2020 involved individuals experiencing self-neglect, often resulting from a lack of access to resources and support. Once engaged in these cases, the courts often resort to guardianship, which is the primary legal tool they have at their disposal. This reduces the ability of older adults to make decisions about their own well-being and increase risks of exploitation.
To help, the Health Fund is supporting a guardianship diversion project in partnership with the Michigan Elder Justice Initiative, which would refer seniors showing signs of self-neglect to appropriate services including home meal delivery, chore services, utility assistance programs, and other resources that can address the person’s difficulties in managing their own care and financial affairs.
Supporting a statewide strategy
To build on this work and tie together elder justice efforts taking place across the state, the Health Fund also has formed a partnership with ADvancing States that has engaged national elder justice expert Kathy Greenlee, who is offering training and guidance to Michigan organizations.
Kathy Greenlee
As Assistant Secretary for Aging in the federal Department of Health and Human Services, Ms. Greenlee provided national leadership on the recognition and prevention of elder abuse. Through our partnership, her expertise is strengthening Michigan’s statewide elder justice strategy and the system of supports available to older adults, families, and organizations.
“Abuse can rob older people of their health, their hope, their money, and their pride. Abuse is a societal scourge that poses a threat each of us. World Elder Abuse Awareness Day provides an opportunity to raise awareness and build coalitions,” Ms. Greenlee said. “From government to aging services to research, all of us must champion the cause of elder justice. I am proud to be part of the effort to improve the lives older citizens of Michigan, now and in the future.”
A significant focus of Ms. Greenlee’s work is working with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and aging network partners to develop programs and services to support people in a self-neglecting situation, so referral to guardianship isn’t needed. We look forward to seeing the results of this work continue to develop in the coming months and years.
Opportunities for impact
The Health Fund continues to seek out opportunities for partnership to help make Michigan a leading state for elder justice. Our 2023 Healthy Aging Initiative is now accepting proposals for projects that advance our elder justice priorities or otherwise support older adults and their caregivers. View our RFP or connect with a member of our Healthy Aging team to learn more.