Fortuna proclaims June 15 World Elder Abuse Awareness Day; ombudsman seeks volunteers and attendees for summit

Mayor Mike Johnson on June 2 proclaimed June 15, 2025, as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day in the City of Fortuna and urged residents, agencies and organizations to learn the signs of elder abuse and support prevention efforts.

The proclamation was followed by remarks from Andrea Bronke, manager of the long‑term care ombudsman program at the Area 1 Agency on Aging, who described the program’s work advocating for residents of licensed long‑term care facilities in Humboldt and Del Norte counties and asked for community support and volunteers. “This is a free, 2 day event focused on elder justice issues,” Bronke said of an upcoming Elder Rights Summit in Eureka.

Why it matters: the ombudsman program helps residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities resolve concerns, respond to reports of abuse and neglect, and protect residents’ dignity and rights. Locally, the program maintains a regular presence at Fortuna Rehabilitation and Wellness Center, Sequoia Springs and First Choice Care Home, and relies on a small team of paid staff and volunteers to carry out visits and advocacy.

Details from the council meeting: the program manager said the local office has two staff members and six volunteers who serve the two counties. Bronke urged people who suspect abuse in a long‑term care facility to contact the ombudsman program and said community concerns for people living at home should be reported to Adult Protective Services. She also invited interested residents to attend the free Elder Rights Summit at the Sequoia Conference Center in Eureka and to visit www.a1aa.org for more information.

The council’s proclamation formalizes the city’s recognition of the national awareness day and was signed by Mayor Johnson.

The City of Fortuna did not take further action at the June 2 meeting on funding or program changes; the ombudsman program asked for community awareness and volunteers as next steps.