EDITORIAL
There's no excuse for abuse of elderly

In his three-part series, "Suffering in Silence: Hawai'i's Elderly Victims," Advertiser reporter Mike Gordon gives readers a stark and disturbing insight into Hawai'i's failures to adequately protect the elderly from neglect and abuse.

What Gordon has uncovered should be of grave concern to the aging and burgeoning baby boomer population as it cares for its aging relatives and prepares for its own sunset years.

The articles examine all angles of this "hidden epidemic," as well as the hurdles to protective legislation and other remedies. If nothing else, we must heed the stories of those who died suffering and resolve to reverse this shameful trend.

No excuse for condition

Too many death certificates list as underlying causes pressure sores that can poison the blood. There is no excuse for allowing these sores to fester. They can be prevented if bedridden or otherwise-immobile patients are shifted regularly so their boniest body parts are relieved.

Many elder-care providers are operating on a shoestring budget. They're short-staffed and simply don't have the resources to meet the daunting needs of frail senior citizens.

Medicare, which covers care home stays, falls short of funding the intensive care that many seniors need. Plus, many workers to whom we entrust the care of our elderly simply aren't paid enough.

But the limitations of the business — and it is a business — don't excuse substandard care that is void of scrutiny.

At the very least, Hawai'i lawmakers must push through legislation that mandates unannounced annual inspections to keep care homes "on their toes," as former state Health Director Bruce Anderson recommends.

It's frankly quite shocking that bill after bill to increase access to care homes, boost penalties for abusers and require unannounced annual inspections have failed.

Advance the process

Last year, rules approving unannounced annual inspections were sent to former Gov. Ben Cayetano for review, but with the change in administration, they were never approved for public hearings. We urge Gov. Linda Lingle to advance this process. After all, she said during her campaign that the state must have the authority to conduct unannounced inspections of adult residential care homes.

As a state, we must set a comprehensive policy on the protection of the elderly, come up with a common definition of neglect and abuse and toughen penalties against the abusers. If these care homes receive more federal Medicare or Medicaid money, which they both need and deserve, that money must come with a far higher standard of accountability.

As we do with child abuse, we must all learn to look for signs of elder neglect and abuse and set up a sensible, non-alarmist reporting system.

Also, if we begin to build an affordable long-term-care system that pays for basic home help, fewer of us will burden the nursing home industry. Ideally, that safety net will allow those who don't need intensive medical care to live out their sunset years at home.

John G. McDermott, the state's long-term care ombudsman, says his phone has been ringing nonstop since the publication of The Advertiser's series on elderly neglect, with people wanting to volunteer at care homes or share personal stories of abuse and neglect that their own families endured.

His goal is to recruit and train 700 volunteers statewide to look out for signs of abuse and neglect at care homes and advocate on behalf of elderly residents. He assures these volunteers would not act as inspectors or public health officials looking to penalize providers, but would work positively with care homes to fix problems. Anyone interested in volunteering can call the State Executive Office on Aging at 586-0100.

Complaints, questions

If you have a complaint, concern or question about care homes, nursing homes or assisted-living facilities, call McDermott on O'ahu at 586-7218 or -7268. All calls are confidential. For toll-free calls to Neighbor Islands:

• Kaua'i (808) 274-3141 (then enter 6-0100)
• Maui (808) 984-2400 (then enter 6-0100)
• Hawai'i (808) 974-4000 (then enter 6-0100)
• Moloka'i/Lana'i , 468-4644, (then enter 6-0100)

Also, University of Hawai'i Elder Law Program (assists socially and economically needy people 60 and older with basic legal services) 956-6785.

And, State Adult Protective Services program (to report abuse, neglect or exploitation):

• O'ahu 832-5115
• Big Island (Hilo, Hamakua and Puna) (808) 933-8820. (Kona, Kohala, Kamuela and Ka'u) (808) 327-6280
• Kaua'i (808) 241-3432
• Maui (808) 243-5151
• Moloka'i (808) 553-1763
• Lana'i (808) 565-7104