State health experts discuss need to protect growing number of older Kansans from abuse

More than 18,000 cases of elder abuse were reported to the state in the most recent fiscal year. (Getty Images)

Kansas health care experts want to develop more partnerships and policies to protect older residents from abuse.

Public health officials with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services and the Kansas Department for Children and Families recently discussed approaching an aging population and their abuse as public health issues.

Statewide, the number of elder abuse reports filed under DCF adult protective services for fiscal year 2024, which ended June 30, was 18,523. The previous year saw a statewide figure of 18,704, and the total for 2022 was 18,674. That figure has climbed over the past decade from a statewide number of 15,722 reports in 2014.

DCF deputy director of adult protective services Chrissy Khatib said the framework exists within the public health sector to help investigate and address health hazards like elder abuse and its root causes.

“When we look at underlying issues such as social, economic, and environmental factors that contribute to elder abuse, such as social isolation, financial dependence and access to supportive services, we can really start to get ahead of this,” Khatib said.

Khatib said only one in 12 cases of elder abuse are reported.

“I believe that public health is actually vital in creating a society where older adults feel respected, empowered, and safe,” Khatib said. “We must build safe and supportive environments for our aging population, and that includes working with collective impact.”

KDHE co-bureau director of family health Derik Flerlage said he wants to see the conversation regarding aging placed in the same focus as child care, with more attention paid to partnerships between local health departments and state agencies.

KDADS aging services commissioner David Anderson said the fact that the senior population is growing indicates an increasing need for associated services, such as mental health care and housing stability. He said the aging commission and the behavioral health commissions within KDADS will partner more in the coming months to discuss how best to support older Kansans.

“One of the things I’ve found in my relatively short time with KDADS is that we know we can’t do all this work alone,” Anderson said, “that it’s really important for us to collaborate with state and community partners.”

Lainey Faulkner, KDHE’s director of the bureau of health promotion, said community health workers can be good partners for building trust between older Kansans and local health care organizations as they work to care for older residents. She said many community health workers are providing classes on topics such as diabetes prevention and reducing the risk of falls.

“They are very connected to their communities, and they have a very good idea of what their community’s needs are,” Faulkner said.

Megan Wolfe, senior policy development manager for Trust for America’s Health, said public health initiatives such as seatbelts and a decline in smoking have led to people living longer, but there isn’t an emphasis on providing support for older people within public health agencies.

Wolfe was part of a pilot program in Florida in 2018 to educate public health departments on elder abuse signs and prevention. The program is now in its third phase, which includes developing guidelines for how to approach cases of elder mistreatment that could be utilized in Kansas.

“Public health departments are uniquely situated to lead with humility,” Wolfe said.

Kari Bruffett, Kansas Health Institute president and CEO, said KHI staff created the Age-Friendly Kansas advisory committee as part of its proactive approach to serving an older population. KHI officials are currently seeking online applications for the committee. Bruffett said the agency’s goal is to elevate healthy aging as a core public health issue over the next two years.

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