On watch for seniors
Counties, state need to beef up anti-abuse work
Pennsylvania’s 67 counties are supposed to act as guardians of their elderly residents, springing to action when reports of abuse and neglect reach their attention. But some counties are failing in this mission, prompting the state Department of Aging to take a harder line with them. The department is correct to do so, but the state must ensure that it is providing the counties with the money, training and other resources that they need to do this important work properly.
Counties, or agencies they hire to help them, investigate reports of abuse, neglect and financial exploitation under rules set down by the state. They’re an important line of defense against family members, hired caregivers or others who would harm the vulnerable elderly. In addition, the agencies sometimes have to step in to protect seniors who neglect themselves.
According to a review of state records by The Associated Press, however, some counties and their contractors haven’t been initiating investigations within the required time frame, investigating complaints adequately or documenting their casework in sufficient detail.
Northampton County Area Agency on Aging had a caseworker with a workload three times higher than the legal limit. Deficiencies in Delaware County’s casework date back five years. The department ordered Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, the agency that handles investigations for Lawrence County, to take immediate action in 11 cases it reviewed.
If a county’s work is bad enough, the department can step in, taking over investigations or hiring its own contractor to do the work. It has never done that. It would rather get better results from the counties, so it recently implemented a new grading system and adopted a tighter timetable for bringing counties into compliance. From now on, it’s likely that poorly performing counties will be given only four months to clean up their acts.
For their part, counties say state inspectors sometimes flag them for technical violations that have nothing to do with quality of care or for reasons that are more subjective than clear cut. “Are we in compliance with everything the Department of Aging wants? Absolutely not,” said John Mehler, administrator of the Northampton County Area Agency on Aging. He added, “But has anyone been harmed or placed at risk? No. ...”
Although counties should be pressed to do better work, there’s plenty of blame to go around. The state’s clampdown is late in coming — the department never should have permitted Delaware County’s performance to lag for years. Taking over the casework there or in any other county with a history of deficiencies would have sent a strong message and goaded other underperformers into action.
If it wants better results, the department also needs to address the counties’ needs. There has been no increase in state funding to handle growing caseloads, and counties have said they could do better work with more staff, less turnover and enhanced training.
It’s important to take corrective action now. As baby boomers age, caseloads are growing, and the need for elder protective services is only going to increase.
Counties aren’t the only ones struggling with protective services work, either. Last year, Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale issued reports documenting deficiencies with the state Department of Human Services’ ChildLine program and the state Health Department’s handling of abuse and neglect complaints at nursing homes.
Perhaps it is time for officials at the counties and various state agencies to join forces on a plan for comprehensive improvements in the protective services field. The safety net for vulnerable Pennsylvanians seems badly frayed.