LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — It's a place for seniors to gather, a place where they can stay safe. For many aging adults in Scranton, the Telespond Senior Services Center is a lifeline.
"I did have that first-hand experience of seeing what the homes of our elderly in the state of Pennsylvania looks like, and it is a shocking experience, and I think if more of us got to see that, we would treat this in a different way," said Helen Schmid, Telesponce Senior Services CEO.
Unfortunately, the homes of seniors are not always the safest place for them.
"One in 10 are all the reports we're getting, so we need to build awareness, and we need to do things differently," said Secretary Jason Kavulich, PA Department of Aging.
The annual Older Adult Protective Report shows there was a 21% increase in reports of elder abuse in the state between 2022 and 2023. 44% of those abusers are family. Another 35% are caregivers.
"It will happen in all of our families, and that's what's sad. It's happened in my family, unfortunately it will happen in your family. It happens everywhere, every day, and oftentimes, it goes unreported," added Kavulich.
Those startling numbers are a reality for many aging adults across the state, which is why the state's top officials were in Lackawanna County to try to push Governor Shapiro's proposed state budget. Under that budget, it would give a 10 million dollar increase to the local areas on aging and groups like Telespond.
"In the last 10 years, our population of older adults has grown by 25%, and the investment in older adult services has not even been close to that," said Kavulich.
The money would help bolster their services. The group has a new advocacy center in the works that would provide temporary housing for elderly abuse victims.
"To think that we can help at least four people have a meal and a warm shower. I think that's a positive move in the right direction," said Schmid.
As they continue to keep our seniors safe, even when it comes at a cost.