World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is recognized annually on June 15. How prevalent is elder abuse locally? And how is it addressed? Multiple surveys of seniors show that up to 15% experience abuse every year, yet the problem is vastly under reported. With an estimated 70,000 seniors in Lane County, elder abuse likely affects someone you know but remains largely hidden. In this program Geoff Clark, Adult Protective Services; Bob Morris, Junction City Police Chief; and Brenton Gicker, RN, CAHOOTS, discuss the problems, responses, and interventions available for addressing elder abuse in our community. They describe how each agency responds to concerns, how the agencies collaborate, and how each of us can help with this problem.
Speakers:
Geoff Clark is the lead worker with the Adult Protective Services Department of Lane County. In his nine years with APS, Geoff has personally investigated over 1200 cases of abuse, trained 20 Adult Protective Services Specialists, screened thousands of referrals, and provided elder abuse related trainings to hundreds of participants. After earning a BS in Business Administration from the University of San Francisco, Geoff returned to the Eugene-Springfield area where he grew up.
Brenton Gicker graduated from the Lane Community College School of Nursing. He is licensed as an Intermediate level Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-I) and a Registered Nurse (RN). He has worked for CAHOOTS (Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets), a program of White Bird Clinic since 2008.
Bob Morris, Junction City police chief, has forty-five years of experience and training in law enforcement and public safety. He holds executive-level police certification from the Oregon Department of Public Standards and Training, as well as certification in conflict resolution and training. Chief Morris earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in emergency management, communications, and education. Chief Morris has a reputation for his passion and dedication protecting society’s vulnerable populations of children, the elderly, and animals.