Everyone must protect our seniors. Children are the first line of protection, but sometimes they are also the issue. Our entire society needs to work together to be vigilant and ensure our seniors are protected. Congress has enacted laws such as the Older Adult Protective Services Act to put many protections in place. Together, we can protect our seniors.
Protecting seniors’ rights is an important government function. Congress has created the county Area Agencies on Aging, which provide numerous services for seniors. Knowing what those various services are, and which agencies offer them, is important. Many counties have an Area Agency on Aging. York County’s Agency on Aging (YCAAA) is at 2401 Pleasant Valley Rd, York, PA 17406, (717) 771-9610 or (800) 632-9073, yorkcountypa.gov/health-human-services/agency-on-aging.html. Their website is full of useful information on several topics, including reporting elder abuse. The YCAAA also offers the Senior Community Service Employment Program, which helps unemployed, low-income adults aged 55 and older with employment and training services.
The State Department of Aging has several useful hotlines for seniors, which can be found on their website, www.aging.pa.gov, under the “Aging Services” section. One service is an elder abuse hotline, 800-490-8505.
The state Attorney General’s office also has several programs to protect seniors, including an elder abuse hotline and a public protection division that addresses consumer fraud complaints against seniors. Their many services can be found on their website, www.attorneygeneral.gov, under the “Senior Issues” tab. They also have a brochure on safety tips for seniors, and offer a Senior Crime Prevention University, both of which are at the “Senior Issues” tab. There are also services for veterans, found in the “Veterans” tab on their website.
Further, the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, and other laws protect most employees over 40 from employment discrimination based on age. The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission enforces a number of these laws. This law is complex, with numerous exceptions; if you have an issue in this area you should consult a labor law attorney.
If you, or a senior you know, have any such issues, help is as near as your telephone or computer.
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