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Council proclaims World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, urges reporting and a June 17 safety forum
Summary
The Montgomery County Council and county executive's office marked World Elder Abuse Awareness Day with a proclamation, urged residents to report suspected abuse to Adult Protective Services, and promoted a June 17 seminar at Holiday Park Senior Center to educate and connect older residents and caregivers with local services.
The Montgomery County Council on Tuesday read a proclamation recognizing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day and urged residents to report suspected mistreatment of older adults.
Council Member Katz introduced the proclamation, saying the observance is intended to "educate, empower and protect older adults from financial exploitation, abuse and neglect." County officials described recent local cases, including a gold-bar financial-exploitation scheme involving people over age 70, and emphasized prevention through awareness and reporting.
"Open lines of communication and increased awareness of scammers who are increasingly using artificial intelligence can help stop elder abuse," Katz said.
John McCarthy, Montgomery County State's Attorney, noted the difficulty victims face in recovering stolen funds and emphasized the role of public education: "The greatest tool we have is education," he said.
Mario Wirzassin, administrator for Adult Protective Services and chair of the county's outreach for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, described the county's response capacity and resources, and gave a local hotline: "You can call our area agency on aging at (240) 777-3000," he said, adding that reports to Adult Protective Services are anonymous and that staff will dispatch a clinician when warranted.
Rich Maddalino, chief administrative officer for the county executive, and other officials read the proclamation text, which cites World Health Organization estimates and Maryland Department of Planning projections that Montgomery County's older-adult population will grow substantially by 2040. The county encouraged attendance at a June 17 public safety seminar at Holiday Park Senior Center and a livestream option for those who cannot attend in person.
The proclamation asks residents to report suspected elder abuse and directs people with concerns to Adult Protective Services at the national hotline listed during the meeting and locally at the county numbers provided.
