Grant Funding Supports Elder Abuse and Neglect Education

The Moyer/Stock Trust has awarded Pee Dee AHEC a $5,000 grant to provide education related to elder abuse and neglect to healthcare providers, first responders and caretakers. Phyllis Debrow, attorney at law and Moyer/Stock Trust trustee, was instrumental in the decision to award the grant following the submission of a proposal from Pee Dee AHEC and Positive Approach, a dementia care and training specialist company run by long time Pee Dee AHEC Instructor Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA.

The AHEC system is well positioned to disseminate education about this topic in a state with a growing influx of retirees and an aging population. This capability, paired with the AHEC system’s ability to provide a variety of accreditation options, made Pee Dee AHEC the logical choice for executing the objectives of this grant.

“The interest and support from both potential participants and instructors has been phenomenal,” reports Pee Dee AHEC Nursing CE Coordinator Cheryl Neuner, “There is such a deep need for this education throughout the state. A special ‘thanks’ goes to Ms. Debrow and the Moyer/Stock Trust for supporting our dream to educate the state about elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation.”

The trend of a growing elderly population paired with socioeconomic disparities can often lead to financial exploitation, abuse, and neglect of this vulnerable group. Educational programs to address the needs and protection of elder individuals will include the following topic areas: 

• Nursing assessment for signs of neglect/abuse
• Financial exploitation
• Medicare/Medicaid fraud indicators
• Prosecution framework for legal arena
• Communication techniques for first responders and healthcare providers working with dementia patients
• Documentation techniques for providers caring for suspected victims of abuse/neglect
• Post-mortem indicators of abuse and neglect for coroners and investigators

 The first program, “Elder Abuse: Indicators, Issues and Response Tactics,” will take place on June 26 and will be conducted by Michelle DuPre, MD, former police investigator and medical examiner.  Continuing education credits will be available for nursing, social work, long term care, counselors, law enforcement, and victim advocates.

All programs will be recorded, archived and available free to providers through the South Carolina AHEC SCHOOLS system at www.scahec.net/schools.  For additional information, please contact Pee Dee AHEC CE Coordinators Cheryl Neuner at 843-777-5347 or Kay Lambert at 843-777-5352.