Industry Leaders Join Yost in Fight to End Elder Abuse, Financial Exploitation

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost today announced two new partnerships aimed at increasing awareness of elder abuse and intercepting financial exploitation before it devastates older Ohioans.

The Ohio Bankers League and the Ohio Health Care Association are teaming with the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) as part of Yost’s coordinated statewide campaign to educate all Ohioans on the warning signs of elder abuse and prevention.

“Elder abuse doesn’t always leave bruises,” Yost said. “Sometimes it looks like unusual withdrawals or a sudden change in financial behavior. Our financial institutions are a first line of defense.”

These new partnerships build upon efforts announced last fall with the Ohio Pharmacists Association, expanding the circle of frontline professionals equipped to spot abuse. Bankers, health-care providers and pharmacists regularly interact with older Ohioans.

The partnerships include:

• Training focused on identifying the signs and symptoms of elder abuse and financial exploitation.
• Distribution of educational materials to increase awareness and provide clear guidance on where victims and families can turn for help.
• Leveraging partner websites, member networks and public-facing platforms to expand outreach and increase reporting of elder abuse.

“When you’re dealing with an epidemic, you need a big army,” Yost said at a press conference this morning with representatives of the trade associations. “These partnerships are critical.”

As scams targeting older adults grow more sophisticated and common, financial institutions are uniquely positioned to help identify red flags, including suspicious withdrawals, unusual check-writing patterns and/or sudden wire transfers. Through coordination with law enforcement and improved reporting, they can help prevent scammers from draining victims’ accounts.

“On behalf of the Ohio Bankers League and Ohio’s community banks, I want to thank Attorney General Yost and his team for inviting us to be a partner in this critically important effort to combat elder financial fraud,” said Mike Adelman, president and CEO of the trade association, which consists of more than 170 FDIC-insurance financial institutions. “This partnership matters, and it sends a powerful message to Ohioans that government and local banks are standing together to protect our most vulnerable neighbors.”

For their part, health-care providers are positioned to recognize signs of physical, emotional and sexual abuse, and to encourage elderly patients to report such crimes.

“For every Ohio Health Care Association member, the safety, well-being and compassionate care of residents, especially in their most vulnerable moments, are our highest priorities,” said Scott Wiley, CEO of the association, which represents more than 1,300 assisted-living communities, providers of home care and hospice services, and skilled nursing-care facilities. “Every Ohioan entrusted to our care deserves to feel safe, respected, seen and valued.”

In the past seven years, the problem of elder abuse in Ohio has grown by 400%. Estimates show that one in 10 Ohioans age 60 or older suffer abuse, but only one in five cases is ever reported – which means that many perpetrators are getting away with their crimes.

In partnering with key industries, Yost expects awareness of the problem to grow and elder Ohioans to become less reluctant to report their victimization.

Sara Kilpatrick, executive director and CEO of the Ohio Pharmacists Association, said her association is actively working with Yost’s office to provide educational information on prescription bags and window-ledge cards for distribution to pharmacies throughout Ohio.

“Too many older Ohioans suffer in silence,” she said. “Pharmacists are in a unique position to help protect and support these vulnerable neighbors.”

Since October, the Attorney General’s Office has been expanding his statewide awareness campaign encouraging Ohioans to learn the warning signs of elder abuse and financial exploitation and report suspected cases. A central piece of that effort is the video What’s Done in the Dark, which is being shared by the Attorney General’s Elder Justice Unit and partner agencies across Ohio.

As part of its broader work, the Elder Abuse Commission recently released its biennial report  outlining prevention efforts, training initiatives and coordination among agencies focused on protecting older adults.

Ohioans who suspect elder abuse, neglect or financial exploitation are encouraged to contact local law enforcement or their county Adult Protective Services office. Additional resources can be found here.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Hannah Hundley: 614-906-9113

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