Silicon Investor - Ad Astra - Family and Friends

[Alan Smithee] Sad to report - sandintoes Message 35264322

Alan Smithee — 9/17/2025 2:32:20 PM

[goldworldnet] The loss of loved ones and your own abilities all boil down to unwelcome change....

goldworldnet — 2/5/2025 11:13:46 AM

The loss of loved ones and your own abilities all boil down to unwelcome change.

* * *

[Pogeu Mahone] The worst part of getting older is becoming disabled which happens to all of us ...

Pogeu Mahone — 2/4/2025 11:16:13 PM

The worst part of getting older is becoming disabled which happens to all of us if you live long enough.

This article does not even mention physical Disabilities.

Aging and Disability Often Intersect, But Safety Support Systems May NotThe aging and disability worlds are colliding, but the policies and systems that currently exist are not enough to keep both populations safe

By Nora Macaluso

|
March 31, 2022
|
Caregiving

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People with disabilities are often vulnerable to abuse, fraud and other safety threats. So are older people. Since aging often brings on or worsens physical and/or cognitive disabilities, it stands to reason that safety risks increase. And as the overall population ages, there will be more people who fall into both these categories.

Amy Herrgesell, self-portrait (2021). This series features self-portraits by adults living with intellectual or developmental disabilities from the "What Makes Me Me" exhibition at Scottsdale Arts in Scottsdale, Ariz. | Credit: Photo by Scottsdale ArtsYet many professionals trained to deal with one population have little experience with the other, say people who work in the field. Services also vary among states, which fund and administer different programs, and between urban and rural areas, they say.

"Often it's our programs, systems, policies, infrastructure and our attitudes that actually create the vulnerability."

"I think it's an area we don't look closely enough at," said Leigh Ann Davis, senior director of criminal justice initiatives at The Arc, a Washington, D.C.-based organization serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

In the U.S., agencies charged with protecting people with disabilities aren't the same as those serving older adults, and "we're not necessarily talking to each other at the level that we need to be," she told Next Avenue.

"We really need to think about the common challenges that both populations are facing," Davis said. While there's research on cognitive disabilities in general, "I'd like to see it broken down into type of disability," she said. People with autism, for example, have different challenges from those with dementia or Alzheimer's disease.

Scientists are studying a possible link between Down syndrome and the development of Alzheimer's disease. The Alzheimer's Biomarkers Consortium — Down Syndrome (ABC-DS), funded by the National Institutes of Health, is tracking Alzheimer's in people with Down syndrome. Some, but not all, people with the syndrome eventually develop Alzheimer's, NIH found.

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In Massachusetts, Some Progress
"Often it's our programs, systems, policies, infrastructure and our attitudes that actually create the vulnerability," said Nancy Alterio, executive director of the Massachusetts Disabled Person Protection Commission in Quincy, Mass.

For example, someone with an intellectual or developmental disability might not get access to education about healthy relationships, which places them at increased risk for sexual abuse — and if they haven't learned about boundaries, they may not recognize it as abuse.

People with disabilities often depend on caregivers for help with bathing, dressing, and personal hygiene. That may put them in situations in which they may be abused sexually or otherwise, but often these crimes may go unreported because of the person's reluctance or inability to tell anyone, or because they're not believed when they do tell, according to Alterio.

"Research shows abuse is often perpetrated by someone in the victim's immediate circle," she said. "When you're dependent upon somebody for assistance with daily needs, whether an adult with a disability or an older adult, it's often perpetrated by somebody they know."

Massachusetts rape crisis centers used to have a policy that only a victim could make an appointment, which made it hard for people with communication issues to report incidents, Alterio said. "That policy actually prevented access in some cases," she added.

"There is associated psychological trauma to being financially exploited. There is increased mortality."

To make things worse, staffers trained in treating "the trauma piece" of sexual assault weren't always comfortable working with people with disabilities, Alterio said. Her commission worked with the Department of Public Health and rape crisis centers to develop guidelines to ensure people with disabilities have equal access to trauma services, and "we now have a statewide sexual assault team within the Disabled Persons Protection Commission."

The commission also works with the Department of Public Health, rape crisis centers, and victim compensation and legal advocacy groups, Alterio noted. Rape crisis counselors are now required to have training in working with people with disabilities, and there is no longer a limit on the amount of time spent working with a particular client.

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Adult Protection 'Evolving' Field
While there are federal regulations governing Child Protective Services, there are no parallel protections for vulnerable adults, said Jennifer Spoeri, executive director of the National Adult Protective Services Association in Philadelphia.

"There are subtle differences across states" when it comes to protecting adults with disabilities, and there are differences between urban and rural areas, Spoeri said.

"We have more investigators here in Philadelphia than some of the states in the Upper Midwest," she explained. "It's just the population."

Adult protection is an "evolving" field, Spoeri said " APS didn't really come out of the woodwork until the late '80s."

Financial Fraud on the Rise
"There's a ton of research going on regarding brain health and cognition and how our brain ages, and how we become more susceptible as we age," she noted. "We're more trusting."

APS is seeing more reports about fraud, Spoeri said. "There are scams coming at people from every direction."

Yet when an older person or someone with a disability is exploited financially, it's more likely to be by a family member. Rather than outright scamming, "it's more taking the checkbook or ATM card," Spoeri said.

"We really have to work together. One of the solutions is more collaboration."

And according to Spoeri, that can be debilitating. "There is associated psychological trauma to being financially exploited. There is increased mortality."

Banking companies are aware of the risks and are taking steps to counteract them. The American Bankers Association and FINRA Foundation have information on their websites about victimization of older adults.

"The financial industry's really becoming very interested in this to protect their clients," Spoeri said. "They're seeing it as a giant problem and wondering how we can work together."

Safety vs Autonomy
When considering ways to keep older people with disabilities safe, it's important to remember they are still in charge of their own lives, experts said.

"A lot of challenges APS faces are with disabled or older adults who have the ability to make decisions and decide they don't want assistance in their homes," Spoeri said. "We can't stop them, because they are human beings with self-determination and autonomy."

That's "a hard pill to swallow" for some workers who want to help, she added.

"I think there's a lot of ageism and lot of ableism. I think society really does not teach us to accept people's differences, and as we age, it's hard."

"Some people aren't even aware" of Americans with Disabilities Act requirements that people be provided with certain accommodations, Davis said.

"Looking at it through the law is one way of bringing people along," she said. "We do training for policy advocates and victim advocates to help them understand that no one profession is going to be able to conquer this. We really have to work together. One of the solutions is more collaboration."

"There's a stigma around talking about those kinds of issues within a family setting or with someone you know," Davis said. Older people with disabilities "may feel devalued in society, or they may feel they have no right to speak out."

"We need to find ways to help people with disabilities and those who are elderly to have a safe place to tell what's happened to them," Davis explained. The Massachusetts program's joint work with a disability agency is "a great program, but it can't be replicated everywhere," she said.

"We want to give people the dignity to have choice, and sometimes they might choose a risky decision," Davis said. "That is a difficult thing." "Supported decision-making," or SDM, is in some states an alternative to guardianship that can help people with cognitive disabilities make their own decisions and have more autonomy.

"We're all going to make bad decisions," Davis said. "Let's figure out a way to help the person think through all sides of an issue."

"My feeling is to really respect people's choices," said Ali Chiu, elder abuse prevention supervisor at the Institute for Aging in San Francisco. Family members, she said, often don't do that because they fear the person wouldn't be safe without intervention.

"How many people we talk to actually want to be in a nursing facility?" she asked. "It's two out of five-hundred, maybe. In a lot of situations we've seen, eventually the senior decided, 'I don't want to be a burden to my children,' and they consent to go."

"Part of that problem is we are living in a world where we compete for funds to provide services."

"I think there's a lot of ageism and lot of ableism," said Chiu. "I think society really does not teach us to accept people's differences, and as we age, it's hard."

Everyday life can pose safety issues to older people and those with disabilities, explained Chiu, who is blind. Public transportation systems that detour routes without providing notice, self-checkout lanes with no supervision, and bumpy sidewalks are just a few of the hazards out there. Collaboration among city agencies to address these risks and issues of abuse can help, she said.

"Self-neglect" is another safety issue, Chiu said. In addition to physical hazards like medication mix-ups and household hazards, people who neglect to pay or are unable to pay bills often fall victim to scams, she said.

'Pockets of Good Things'
"There's a big difference between the city and a rural area," said Chiu. San Francisco, for example, has more resources than many areas.

The Institute on Aging's 24-hour Friendship Line bills itself as "the only accredited crisis line in the country" for people 60 and older and those with disabilities. It provides support services, including suicide intervention, information and referrals to people in the Bay Area.

"There are pockets of good things happening, but the funding is not there to support the level of need that we have," Davis said. Federal funding comes through Medicaid and other federal legislation that's funneled to states, she added.

According to Davis, The Arc is working on a series of webinars that look at the parallel growth of the protective services and disability rights movements.

"These two movements have been going along, but not necessarily interlocking," she said. "Part of that problem is we are living in a world where we compete for funds to provide services."

"I think we're getting to a place where maybe there's more openness to working together."

Take Matters Into Your Own Hands
Below are links to additional resources related to this story.

[Thehammer] My Condolences Josh, She must have been a wonderful woman to have such a great ...

Thehammer — 10/22/2024 8:18:25 PM

My Condolences Josh,

She must have been a wonderful woman to have such a great son.

[Alan Smithee] Josh, so sorry to hear this. My condolences to you, your son and daughter.

Alan Smithee — 10/22/2024 10:58:57 AM

[Bill] Sorry for your loss, Josh. Condolences.

Bill — 10/22/2024 8:44:55 AM

[Carolyn] So sorry to hear this, Josh. Losing your mom, at whatever age, is devastating. B...

Carolyn — 10/22/2024 8:05:42 AM

So sorry to hear this, Josh. Losing your mom, at whatever age, is devastating. Blessings

[goldworldnet] I loved my mom very much and still do. Thank You * * *

goldworldnet — 10/22/2024 4:54:27 AM

[isopatch] Sorry to hear that. My condolences.

isopatch — 10/22/2024 1:53:26 AM

[goldworldnet] My mother Loretta passed about 3:30 PM in ICU on Sunday October 20, 2024 and she...

goldworldnet — 10/22/2024 12:11:05 AM

My mother Loretta passed about 3:30 PM in ICU on Sunday October 20, 2024 and she was born June 10, 1938.

I did hold her hand a while, but left the room after they started giving her morphine and she passed about 15 minutes later.

Originally she had been hospitalized for a brain hemorrhage, but was transferred to a rehab nursing home after 2 weeks and it is the best facility of its kind in town.

Actually, she was admitted as a rehab patient, although her prognosis was doubtful of returning home.

Her first day there my son and I took her dog and parrot to see her since they allowed pet visitation and she was thrilled.

However, after a couple of days they detected bacterial pneumonia with a chest x-ray for which they began administering daily antibiotic injections to which she responded well for several days, but then began getting worse.

Rest in Peace Mom.

Best, Josh

* * *

[isopatch] Blessings to you & your mother. Lost mine to lung cancer in 1987, months before...

isopatch — 10/2/2024 2:01:06 PM

Blessings to you & your mother. Lost mine to lung cancer in 1987, months before the crash. She was only 67.

[goldworldnet] You're moral support is greatly appreciated. Of all my buddies, I'm the last on...

goldworldnet — 9/29/2024 12:36:19 PM

You're moral support is greatly appreciated.

Of all my buddies, I'm the last one to have a living parent.

Best for you and you're children, Josh

* * *

[Alan Smithee] I hope she recovers. Best wishes.

Alan Smithee — 9/29/2024 10:53:28 AM

[Carolyn] Oh, dear

Carolyn — 9/29/2024 10:29:39 AM

[goldworldnet] Thank You Carolyn, she's down to 88 lbs. * * *

goldworldnet — 9/29/2024 10:17:36 AM

[Carolyn] It is. My niece has a brain bleed and it has changed her forever. May God be wit...

Carolyn — 9/28/2024 12:21:10 PM

It is. My niece has a brain bleed and it has changed her forever. May God be with her and you.

[goldworldnet] My mother has had a brain hemorrhage probably due to a fall. If she remains sta...

goldworldnet — 9/28/2024 12:19:48 PM

My mother has had a brain hemorrhage probably due to a fall.

If she remains stable, she will be transferred from the hospital to a rehabilitation facility next week, but the situation is still grim

Blessings to All

* * *

[Carolyn] Praying, Josh

Carolyn — 9/27/2024 9:34:53 AM

[Woody_Nickels] I took care of my Mom. Home care is a good option, but may be expensive. We had ...

Woody_Nickels — 9/27/2024 1:13:24 AM

I took care of my Mom.
Home care is a good option, but may be expensive.
We had Home Care on Tu, Th and Sat., afternoons for 10 weeks.
When the end was near(90 days), Hospice came in Mon, Wed and Fri.

They gave me relief from full time care. I didn't realize how hard I was
working, until I got afternoons off to rest.

I hope everything works out for your family.

[longz] prayers to your mum...

longz — 9/27/2024 12:44:23 AM

[goldworldnet] My mother was pulled over by an EMT today and the Fire Department drove her car ...

goldworldnet — 9/27/2024 12:28:23 AM

My mother was pulled over by an EMT today and the Fire Department drove her car home, but she's in the hospital for confusion. She's 86.

Pray she can get the elder help she needs and return to her home.

* * *

[goldworldnet] 2000 Harley Deuce and 1925 Chevy T-Bucket Hotrod. [graphic] Day that Larry who...

goldworldnet — 7/24/2024 4:46:53 PM

2000 Harley Deuce and 1925 Chevy T-Bucket Hotrod.

Day that Larry who is kneeling traded his Deuce to the guy in the white cap for the Hotrod.

Joyce also in picture looking at Hotrod.

* * *

[goldworldnet] Had to put Chester (Jack Russell) down July 10th. Adjusting, but still have Che...

goldworldnet — 7/11/2024 11:52:30 AM

Had to put Chester (Jack Russell) down July 10th.

Adjusting, but still have Chester's wife Charlotte and daughter Angel.

He was a good dog. Named him after Chester in Gunsmoke.

Goodbye Buddy.

* * *

[Carolyn] Beautiful. So timely.

Carolyn — 10/17/2021 5:00:46 PM

[robert a belfer] [graphic] [graphic] [graphic] [graphic] [graphic] [graphic] [graphic] I think t...

robert a belfer — 11/14/2020 2:50:03 PM

I think that is as good as it gets. Pg 3 in upright in my computer but loads upside down.

[robert a belfer] OK, clearly my computer skills leave a lot to be desired. I will try again tomor...

robert a belfer — 11/11/2020 9:37:28 PM

OK, clearly my computer skills leave a lot to be desired. I will try again tomorrow. To be clear, even though the eight grade me omitted quotation marks I recorded that conversation with my little 3 inch awai reel to reel and transcribed it to paper.

[robert a belfer] [graphic][graphic][graphic][graphic][graphic][graphic][graphic]

robert a belfer — 11/11/2020 9:29:30 PM

[robert a belfer] They say that something on line lives forever. In memory of my father who was a ...

robert a belfer — 11/11/2020 9:17:02 PM

They say that something on line lives forever. In memory of my father who was a Russian Jew who immigrated here in 1923 I am going to attempt to post an interview I did with him for a history project when I was in eighth grade.
The only way I have found to do this is to post each page (7) in separate posts.

[Eric L] MIA: JakeStraw | Anyone have info? JakeStraw has been a long time and very act...

Eric L — 9/3/2020 9:12:32 PM

MIA: JakeStraw | Anyone have info?

JakeStraw has been a long time and very active SI participant (since early 1996). He has founded. emceed and moderated numerous SI subject boards. His last posts to SI were on February 14 of this year.

Does anyone have an idea of what has caused his absence, I am hopeful he is well.

Cheers, - Eric L

[goldworldnet] I was married 40 years ago today at 1 pm July 4th, but Joyce refused to set the ...

goldworldnet — 7/4/2020 1:25:50 PM

I was married 40 years ago today at 1 pm July 4th, but Joyce refused to set the time at high noon. <g>

* * *

[Neeka] Dad would have been 92 today. He was a sailor at heart running away from home ...

Neeka — 4/13/2020 11:08:19 PM

Dad would have been 92 today.

He was a sailor at heart running away from home at 14 to join the Navy in San Fransisco. His parents found him, brought him home to Aberdeen WA hoping he'd stay. But he didn't stay home for long. He dropped out of school after the 8th grade, got a job on the Blackball Ferry line out of Seattle as a deck hand and never looked back.

He was a Merchant Marine and was in Japan when I and my twin brother were born. He was gone a lot during my childhood, but was the best when he was home.

He finally earned his unlimited Captain's license at the age of 64, but two years later he was diagnosed with colon cancer and was dead 5 months later.

RIP Dad!

[goldworldnet] My wife's mother Jane was also born January 15th. Very sweet and my favorite me...

goldworldnet — 2/21/2020 9:23:27 AM

My wife's mother Jane was also born January 15th.

Very sweet and my favorite member of her family.

Joyce died a month after her mother did and they were close...

Condolences for your loss -- Josh

* * *

[Glenn Petersen] My mother died 13 years ago. Today would have been her hundredth birthday. Happy...

Glenn Petersen — 1/15/2020 10:27:05 PM

My mother died 13 years ago. Today would have been her hundredth birthday. Happy Birthday Mom. My heart still aches.

[goldworldnet] He definitely knows he has problems, but the prognosis isn't good. ...

goldworldnet — 10/30/2019 12:26:05 AM

He definitely knows he has problems, but the prognosis isn't good.

* * *

[Pogeu Mahone] Does Wayne want to be saved? Does Wayne perceive his homelessness as a proble...

Pogeu Mahone — 10/29/2019 10:31:07 PM

Does Wayne want to be saved?

Does Wayne perceive his homelessness as a problem?

Does he enjoy living on the street?

[goldworldnet] Scott is a retired Judge and had a long talk with him this morning about saving ...

goldworldnet — 10/25/2019 2:16:16 PM

Scott is a retired Judge and had a long talk with him this morning about saving Wayne from himself.

Wayne has no living family and is homeless.

Josh

* * *

[Pogeu Mahone] one of my best buds developed a love for pot cookies with his stage 4.

Pogeu Mahone — 10/20/2019 9:22:46 AM

[goldworldnet] Continuing education is good and recommend staying close with old friends. :) ...

goldworldnet — 10/9/2019 3:32:53 PM

Continuing education is good and recommend staying close with old friends. :)

Josh

* * *

[Katongole] Thanks for the idea

Katongole — 10/9/2019 1:56:58 PM

[goldworldnet] He says he has to stay competitive with newer graduates. His dad was an OB/GYN...

goldworldnet — 10/9/2019 12:45:18 PM

He says he has to stay competitive with newer graduates.

His dad was an OB/GYN and suspect what he really wants is a PhD.

Josh

* * *

[Blasher] Hey .. I'm a software engineer too . . . but I'm too old and don't want to learn...

Blasher — 10/8/2019 10:14:06 AM

Hey .. I'm a software engineer too . . .
but I'm too old and don't want to learn any new languages . . .
so I just stay at my current job so I only have to know the languages I already know.
LoL!

[goldworldnet] My stepdad has gone to 3 or 4 funerals in the last six months. The worst part o...

goldworldnet — 10/5/2019 10:06:38 AM

My stepdad has gone to 3 or 4 funerals in the last six months.

The worst part of getting older is losing people.

Josh

* * *

[Ken Adams] Sorry to learn that, Josh. High school friends are truly "forever". At the en...

Ken Adams — 10/5/2019 9:48:47 AM

Sorry to learn that, Josh. High school friends are truly "forever". At the end of June I went back to Colorado for my 65th class reunion. We only graduated about 100 and have already seen nearly half that number pass on. We were a close knit group from the earliest days and remain so. Those who remain in the area still gather for a picnic on the last Saturday of every June, a tradition that's lasted 65 years. I rarely missed those picnics when I still lived there. Living a great distance away these days makes me realize I may have seen these long time friends for the last time.... since I've aged right along with the rest of them.

[goldworldnet] I'm looking forward to it. There's four of us meeting. Haven't seen Wynn in quit...

goldworldnet — 10/5/2019 6:52:09 AM

I'm looking forward to it. There's four of us meeting. Haven't seen Wynn in quite a while. He just got a big job promotion at work that I'm happy for. He's a software engineer and always studying different programming languages to stay current.

Josh

* * *

[elpolvo] Josh- Laughter is the best medicine. Have a funny time at the luncheon. -elpol...

elpolvo — 10/5/2019 1:16:26 AM

Josh-

Laughter is the best medicine.
Have a funny time at the luncheon.

-elpolvo

[goldworldnet] Learned yesterday that a classmate from high school has lung cancer. My main bu...

goldworldnet — 10/4/2019 4:43:22 PM

Learned yesterday that a classmate from high school has lung cancer.

My main buddies and I are meeting next week for a luncheon at the restaurant he works at.

Josh

* * *

[goldworldnet] Kevin was my best friend in high school and his little brother Drew is my best f...

goldworldnet — 9/22/2019 2:05:59 AM

Kevin was my best friend in high school and his little brother Drew is my best friend now.

I'm very proud of Drew and he has done well. :)

Best -- Josh

* * *

[goldworldnet] Wynn took the picture and jumped back before the timer went off. Wynn and Wayne...

goldworldnet — 9/18/2019 10:53:13 AM

Wynn took the picture and jumped back before the timer went off.

Wynn and Wayne are both 6'4".

* * *

[Blasher] who took the picture ?? ;-)

Blasher — 9/18/2019 9:23:22 AM

[goldworldnet] Every guy in this photo except Kevin who is gone is financially helping Wayne fo...

goldworldnet — 9/18/2019 12:04:24 AM

Every guy in this photo except Kevin who is gone is financially helping Wayne for now.

TopRow -- Mache -- Kevin -- Wayne -- Melissa -- Scott
BottomRow -- Wynn -- Josh -- Joyce -- Drew -- Larry

Drew is Kevin's little brother. Kevin passed in 1995.

Picture is about 1982-83.

Josh

* * *