Panel to press for senior services

Clark County’s Commission on Aging would like to see increased services for seniors and a sheriff’s deputy dedicated to investigating elder abuse. These are among the recommendations that the commission will present Tuesday to the county council during a joint meeting.

The Commission on Aging was established in 2012 to help implement the Aging Readiness Plan that looks at how to deal with the influx of older adults in Clark County. The U.S. Census estimates around 13 to 15 percent of the county’s population is 65 and older — and that age group is growing.

Every month last year the Commission on Aging had a different expert talk about supportive services, and what they learned from those talks informed their recommendations.

The most attended meeting was where Detective Mike Day talked about elder abuse, which can include abuse, neglect and scams that target older adults. Day is the Vancouver Police Department detective assigned to the Elder Justice Center that opened in 2011. There isn’t a deputy with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office assigned to the Elder Justice Center — but the Commission on Aging would like to see that change.

As outlined in its annual report, the commission’s other recommendations include building partnerships and programs that support older adults, and making people more aware of what’s available.

“Unawareness of services is a big deal,” said Marjorie Ledell, commission chairwoman.

The vast majority of unpaid caregivers don’t use resources available to them “because they don’t think of themselves as caregivers or they mistakenly believe the services are programs based on income. Clark County has the third highest number of unpaid family caregivers in the state,” the report said.

Also, the commission would like to see more memory care homes and facilities built along with small assisted living communities because “residents of these homes have shown increased reports of mobility and social interaction and fewer reports of weight loss and depression compared with residents of traditional skilled nursing facilities,” the report said.

This year’s speaker series will focuses on transportation and begins at the commission’s Feb. 20 meeting.