The Mount Saint Mary College Center for Aging and Disability Policy partnered with the Pre-Law Society to present a panel discussion exploring the issue of elder abuse on Thursday, April 13.
The presentation opened with a keynote speech by Lawrence T. Force, Ph.D, LCSW-R, professor of Psychology and director of the Center for Aging and Disability Policy at the Mount. Force explained ways this issue is prevalent in New York State specifically, and concluded by encouraging the audience to “age loudly,” by being unapologetic and advocating for oneself through the aging process.
During the panel discussion, audience members learned about the varying levels of abuse and negligence that many older adults experience while in the care of loved ones or professionals who are in place to take care of them. The panel was presented questions from moderators Kaitlyn Lauro of Farmingville, N.Y., a senior Business Management and Administration major, and Rachel Berkoben of Westwood, N.J., a senior Human Services major.
Panelists included AnneMarie Maglione, director of the Orange County Office for the Aging; Tim Murphy, director of the Orange County Protective Services; and Cathy Rehfus-Wilsek, associate professor of Healthcare Management and Business Graduate Program Coordinator at the Mount. Each speaker shared their experiences working with aging adults, the ways they’ve witnessed these challenges firsthand and how society can begin to combat them.
All three speakers agreed that the best tool against elder abuse and negligence is education. They stated that the more family members and aging adults themselves know about the services available to them, the better equipped they will be at detecting signs of abuse or negligence if it occurs.