Brookletts Place Senior Center is hosting a presentation, “Getting Back Out There: How to Re-Engage After the Pandemic,” on September 29 at 1 p.m. at Brookletts Place in Easton. The presentation will explore elder abuse and social isolation, as well as how to re-engage seniors as a result of the pandemic. The panel of aging experts will include Dr. Maggie Black, Partner of Shore Neurocognitive Health; Beth Parker O’Brien, LCSW-C, MPH, Founder/Partner of Shore Neurocognitive Health; Lee Newcomb, Adult Services Social Worker, Talbot County Department of Social Services; Mary Sellers, Maryland Department of Aging; Dana Newman, Talbot County Free Library; and Kate Stinton, Talbot County Health Department.
According to the Maryland Department of Aging, every day 10,000 people turn 65 in the United States and one in ten older Americans over the age of 60 has been the victim of some kind of elder abuse, much of which goes unreported. Many cases are not reported because elders are afraid or unable to tell police, friends, or family about the violence. Elder abuse is a single or repeated act of intentional or negligent behavior perpetrated by a caregiver, entity, family member, staff, or trusted individual, that causes harm to a vulnerable older adult. This can include physical abuse, financial abuse/exploitation, psychological abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, or self-neglect.
Photo: Front row, left to right, are Teresa Greene, Program Coordinator of Brookletts Place Senior Center, and Kate Stinton, Talbot County Health Department. Back row, left to right are Lee Newcomb, Adult Services Social Worker, Talbot County Department of Social Services, and Childlene Brooks, Manager of Brookletts Place Senior Center.
“We have found that more than 50 percent of our seniors have stopped coming to the Senior Center to participate in programming since the pandemic. They have gotten comfortable staying home and created new routines, which in some cases has left them more isolated,” comments Childlene Brooks, Manager of Brookletts Place Senior Center.
“We are hoping to attract seniors, caregivers, family members, and friends to this presentation to provide insights into what elder abuse is and how to recognize it, as well as what self-neglect and isolation can look like among our senior population. These are concerns we are hearing more about every day,” adds Teresa Greene, Program Coordinator.
In addition to addressing self-neglect and social isolation, the panel will address safety concerns for seniors, as well as scams and solicitations seniors are especially vulnerable to.
“We hope to offer prevention strategies, as well as ideas for re-engaging seniors back into the community through our senior centers, volunteerism, and other social activities,” explains Lee Newcomb, Adult Services Social Worker, Talbot County Department of Social Services.
Brookletts Place is a center for seniors to gather and socialize with each other. It provides an aspect of community engagement for individuals 60 or older through the Center’s facilities and various events throughout the year.
For further information, call 410-822-2869 or visit https://www.brooklettsplace.org.
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