THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, January 6, 1996 TAG: 9601060240
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Charlise Lyles
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
Over the bridge and through the tunnel, in Hampton, angry federal workers have marched and yelled some clever insults at Newt.
But in Norfolk, in a quiet office of SEVAMP, the regional senior services agency, Donna Smith sits at her desk, hands folded in complete composure, a smile on her face. Albeit uneasy. Albeit full of angst.
The government shutdown has hit most workers in the paycheck. It has hit Smith in a deeper place, her conscience. She feels guilty.
The failure of Congress and President Clinton to reach agreement on one of many major appropriations bills affecting the Older Americans Act has forced the expert on elder abuse to abandon outreach efforts since Dec. 1.
While still providing other services to the elderly, the federal freeze forbids her to educate and report suspected cases of physical, emotional, financial, medical or sexual abuse to which those over 60 are often vulnerable.
For Smith, this is like a mom being furloughed from mothering.
A warm, gentle-spoken woman whose sincerity could probably compel the truth right out of you, Smith usually marches to churches, community centers, union halls, nursing homes, civic groups, home health agencies - anywhere that anyone comes in contact with anybody elderly. She teaches and probes to strike a nerve, hoping at least one or two people will come forward to report a suspected abuse case.
In 1994, she spoke to more than 3,000 people, reported more than two dozen cases of suspected abuse to social service investigators, and counseled nearly a hundred people concerned about abuse.
Smith worries whether elderly people, whom she loves to serve so much, are being treated badly - called nasty names, their medicine, eyeglasses or hearing aids withheld. Are they being confined in isolation, pressured out of their precious pennies or kicked, beaten and bruised?
And could she have prevented such, had Congress and the president allowed her to do her job?
During the holiday season, she couldn't warn against the perennial scams that prey upon the elderly, like dirty pigeons in a littered park.
``I would've talked to bank managers to tell them to be on the lookout for older people who might come in and withdraw large sums of money at once,'' said Smith.
Violence by a family member or care provider is the most common form of abuse.
And there's self-abuse.
``Seniors want to remain independent, so often they neglect themselves due to pride,'' said Smith. ``They don't tell anyone if they have no money for medication or food, or they sacrifice one for the other when they need both.''
She knew it was foolhardy, but all day Friday, Smith waited to hear news, a radio report, TV, anything saying that the bills had been approved, that the bill had been approved, that funds were forthcoming.
And that she wouldn't have to call an Alzheimer's group at the end of the day to say that she wouldn't be able to speak and counsel at their upcoming meeting.
The only thought that comforts her is not really comforting at all.
``Even if someone is being abused,'' she says, ``older people have often been through so many things, seen so many things that they'll tell you, `I'll make it, somehow.' '' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Donna Smith...
by CNB