Keep victims of elder abuse safe

The first emergency elder abuse shelter in the state of Ohio, Cedar Village provides a place for victims age 65 and older to heal safely. Each year an estimated one in ten older Americans are victims of physical, psychological, and financial abuse and/or neglect. Other local programs for domestic violence are ill-equipped for the special needs of the elderly.

Cedar Village, a Nonprofit long term care retirement community, meets the critical need of providing care and support to victims of elder abuse. Necessary services- medical, psychological, spiritual, and legal- are provided throughout the stay. Individuals are encouraged to take advantage of all services and programs Cedar Village has to offer. Our goal is to raise awareness, educate our community, encourage early intervention, and provide a safety net for vulnerable older adults.Through working collaboratively with community agencies, law enforcement, hospitals, and many others, we strive for elder abuse prevention and provide shelter for eligible seniors, aged 65 and older.

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• Life Begins at Cedar Village

Every day 10,000 people turn 65 in the US alone, and that trend is going to continue for nearly the next 20 years. Demographics are shifting, and soon there will be more elder people in the US than ever before. At the same time that the population is growing, a startling number of elders face abusive conditions; most people aren't aware that an estimated 5 million older Americans are victims of elder abuse, neglect or exploitation - that's 1 in 10, and that's only a part of the picture. Experts believe that for every case of elder abuse reported, as many as 23 cases go unreported.

In honor of Elder Abuse Awareness Day on Monday, June 15, 2015, staff and residents of Cedar Village Retirement Community sported the color purple - whether in their clothes or with special purple awareness bracelets. Volunteers passed out bookmarks, bracelets and other elder abuse literature as well as some special purple treats.

Gail Davis, Director, External Sales and Admissions and Shalom Center Coordinator at Cedar Village, says "Elder abuse is an under-recognized problem with devastating and even life-threatening consequences.  At Cedar Village, we are proud of our Shalom Center for Elder Abuse Prevention, the only elder abuse shelter in Ohio and the sixth shelter created in the country.  Since the Shalom Center opened in January 2012, our mission has been to be available to help those victims who choose to seek shelter here as well as to continue to educate others".

Your donation will help provide needed items for victims of elder abuse who come to Cedar Village.