50+ Lifestyles

Milestones Expands Abuse Awareness Program

By Peggy Dykes
Community Relations Director
Milestone’ Area Agency on Aging

Milestones Area Agency on Aging has been awarded the “New Initiatives Grant” by the Victim Services Support Program through the Iowa Attorney General’s Crime Victim Assistance Division.
The grant was written to add “dependent adults” to the existing abuse awareness program and provide additional services through LifeLong Links, Iowa’s Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC’s) and the Elder Abuse Awareness Program.

The newly named Dependent Adult and Elder Abuse Awareness Program will focus on abuse, neglect or exploitation of an independent or dependent individual age 60 or older and a dependent adult who is 18 years of age or older. The dependent adult is defined as an individual who is unable to protect his/her own interests or is unable to adequately perform or obtain services necessary to meet essential human needs, as a result of a physical or mental condition which requires assistance from another.

Individuals living in Milestones’ service area of Appanoose, Clinton, Davis, Des Moines, Henry, Jefferson, Keokuk, Lee, Louisa, Lucas, Mahaska, Monroe, Muscatine, Scott, Van Buren, Wapello and Wayne Counties in Iowa will benefit from these services:

• Emergency care assistance for short- term  home care services or facility placement for victims or at risk victims when a caregiver is removed from the home of dependent adult or elder
• Elder advocacy/options counseling for victim
• Mediation services
• Assistance with legal expenses for victims of financial exploitation
• Assistance with legal expenses when guardianship is needed for dependent adults and elders
• Assistance with expenses for lodging, food, clothing, and transportation of a dependent adult or elder that has been made a victim
• Presentations and Awareness to the community regarding Dependent Adult and Elder Abuse

For information or to schedule a presentation, call Milestones at 1-855-410-6222.

Peggy Dykes is Community Relations Director at Milestones Area Agncy on Aging. She can be reached at (563) 324-9085, ext. 212 or at pdykes@milestones aaa.org.