For Immediate Release

Date: August 1, 2007
Contact: Barbara Schoof Conant
barbara.conant@aging.ks.gov
Director of Public Affairs
(785) 296-6154

KDOA grants focus on elder abuse prevention

The Kansas Department on Aging has issued more than $46,000 in special projects grants to seven Kansas agencies for Prevention of Elder Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation (PEANE) projects. The projects can involve either education, training or research for the prevention of elder abuse, neglect, financial abuse or exploitation of older individuals and developing or maintaining a multi-disciplinary team to address such abuse.

“Elder abuse often is overlooked or goes undetected, so it is important to raise awareness not only of the signs of abuse, whether physical or financial, but also how to deal with it,” Secretary of the Kansas Department on Aging Kathy Greenlee said. “Through these grants, we hope to help broaden the safety net for our vulnerable citizens.”

The seven agencies and their projects are:

• High Plains Mental Health Center, Hays, $6,925, to provide two-hour educational programs for grandparents as parents in 12 counties. The program will be offered as an in-service to staff at long-term care centers, hospitals, schools, public health departments, home health agencies and mental health providers.

• Central Plains Area Agency on Aging, Wichita, $7,000, for a statewide conference on hoarding. The conference will provide intervention, education and follow-up support for hoarding behavior affecting the health and safety of individuals, their families and communities.

• Four County Mental Health Center, Independence, $7,000, for an elder abuse prevention conference, to promote media campaigns and a healthy aging fair.

• Mental Health Association of South Central Kansas, Wichita, $7,000, for a statewide PEANE conference, “Protecting our Seniors: A Community Initiative.”

• East Central Kansas Area Agency on Aging, Ottawa, $6,060, for a statewide PEANE conference on identity theft and how it impacts older adults, and for other PEANE training.

• Alzheimer’s Association, Heart of America Chapter, Prairie Village, with regional offices in Topeka and Parsons, $7,000, to conduct two-hour family education programs in Emporia, Salina, Junction City, Hiawatha, Sabetha, Marysville, Parsons, Fort Scott and Osawatomie on “The Frustration Factor.” Also provide training to 18 businesses on disease issues and the role of community in assisting individuals at risk.

• Butler County Department on Aging, El Dorado, $5,146, for PEANE training sessions and to develop outreach and public information materials.

Funded by the Older Americans Act, the PEANE grants are awarded through an annual request-for-proposal process. The grant period is Jun 1, 2007, through May 31, 2008.