Vigilant citizens to be honored in fight against elder abuse

Boulder County, Colo. – Boulder County’s Adult Protection Review Team and Elder Justice Coalition will recognize community members who have contributed to the safety, security and dignity of elders at a public ceremony on June 14.

What: Fifth Annual Elder Abuse Awareness and Prevention Recognition Ceremony

When: Thursday, June 14 at 3 p.m.

Where: East Boulder Senior Center, 5660 Sioux Drive

“As our population ages, we are seeing increasing numbers of elders targeted for abuse, in both financial and physical neglect contexts,” said Caroline Kert, coordinator for the Boulder County Elder Justice Project. “We embrace the opportunity to recognize members of our community who have stepped up to protect elders and help bring abusers to justice.”

This year, the first “Systemic Change Award” will be given to Public Safety Chief Mike Butler of the Longmont Police Department, for his leadership and commitment to right the wrongs of elder abuse. In addition, seven other individuals will receive recognition for their outstanding efforts to keep elders safe and hold offenders accountable.

“The groundbreaking thing about these awards is that we see a broad spectrum of effective advocacy across the community,” said Detective Stacey Graham of the Longmont Police Department and Chair of the Adult Protection Review Team. “Awards are being given to public servants as well as to community members who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to find justice for older citizens.

“The award committee was particularly moved by the actions of a local credit union employee, Stephanie Schneider,” Graham said. Schneider noticed unusual activity on an elder’s account and not only alerted the bank customer to the activity, but also contacted area stores to ascertain how the victim’s money was being spent and by whom.

Detective Rachael Sloan Stogsdill of the Longmont Police Department nominated Schneider for the award, noting, “As a bank employee, Stephanie could have easily just told the victim he had closed his CD account and been done. Instead, Stephanie assisted me with months of investigation in gathering pertinent records.”

Schneider’s nomination was also supported by the District Attorney’s Office and Adult Protective Services (APS), which began an investigation based on Schneider’s findings. APS discovered that the bank customer was suffering alone at home from dementia and other debilitating conditions. “I am certain Stephanie’s contact began the process of getting this elder desperately needed medical help. Otherwise, they most likely would have died at home,” Sloan Stogsdill said.

“According to recent data it is estimated that the frequency of elder abuse ranges from 2-10 percent of the elder population,” Kert said. In Boulder County, this translates to as many as 7,600 residents experiencing a form of elder abuse. “It is crucial that members of our community, particularly those with day-to-day interactions with elders, understand the signs and impact of these crimes,”Kert said. “We invite the public to join us in recognizing the heroes from the past year.”

The Elder Justice Coalition of Boulder County consists of nonprofit and governmental agencies, businesses and individuals working together to improve the local coordinated community response to elder abuse. It addresses systemic challenges and provides education and training programs. The Adult Protection Review Team is a team of agencies that reviews challenging APS and community cases to strengthen the response.

Contact Caroline Kert at 303-441-1599 or ckert@bouldercounty.org or Janet Ibanez at 303-441-1170 or jibanez@bouldercounty.org for more information.