SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A first-of-its-kind center to protect older adults is now open in Scranton. Lackawanna County's Area Agency on Aging cut the ribbon today on the Older Adult Advocacy Center, a safe space for seniors who have experienced abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation.
28/22 News has more on why state and local leaders say this is a major milestone in senior care.
This center isn’t just a shelter, it’s a specialized space that fills a critical gap in services for older adults facing abuse or neglect.
Inside Telespond Senior Services in Scranton, the new Older Adult Advocacy Center is the first facility in Pennsylvania dedicated solely to older adults who need protective services.
"We're seeing increasing numbers of older adults who are victims of elder abuse. Unfortunately, a lot of times they live with their perpetrator, alleged perpetrator, there's no safe spot for them to be interviewed, to be talked to," explained Sara McDonald, director at the Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging.
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"By having this as a resource, it's a silver lining in our casework to be able to provide this and hopefully provide a better outcome for those individuals," said Kerri Anzulewicz, assistant director at the Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging.
The center will offer shelter, personalized care plans, and support for those who can’t access traditional shelters.
"We have the great staff that are going to be working here, that are going to really be with them and support them, while we continue to build service plans and make a long-term plan for them so they can return to the community," said McDonald.
State officials say the need has never been greater.
"When you think about the numbers, when you think about 3.5 million older adults, you think about that protective services cases have grown 82% since 2017, when you think about the impact of the work going to have on six counties, this is a true milestone in aging services," explained Sec. Jason Kavulich, PA Department of Aging.
The center will serve residents across six counties, and state leaders say it sets the standard for others to follow.
"I'm very proud of this region for leading, because we have set the stage for the other counties, for the other cities, for the other Triple-A's, the 52 area agencies on aging to work with their communities to build this," said Sec. Kavulich.
Only older adults referred through agency case workers will be admitted to the center, where they will meet with a full team of advocates and resources tailored to their needs.
