by Brenda Anders

Have you ever needed information regarding safety or emergency preparedness and just weren’t sure where to look? Maybe you aren’t even sure what you need.

Well your search is over!

We are very lucky to have a website here in the South King Fire & Rescue District called www.publicsafe.org. This independent website which launched in 2007 has everything and all information is relevant to people who live in the South King County area.

Wayne Corey, Community Activist and Volunteer Extraordinaire, is responsible for creating, maintaining and paying for this valuable resource.  Public safety has been his passion for several years.

“There is a world of information out there,” Wayne explained. “After serving as chairperson of the City of Des Moines Enhanced Public Safety Committee, it became obvious we needed to have a place where people could easily find it in one place.”

So that is what he set out to accomplish.

You can find links to information regarding:

• Elder Watch Advocacy Program
  

  Wayne Corey (left) and Don Harper (right) run publicsafe.org.

• Elder Safety Programs
• Public health issues, including up to date Flu information
• Flood preparation
• Fire Safety and crime prevention
• Emergency planning for families and businesses
• Contact information for local governmental agencies
• Community links and calendar of events
• Safety tips and videos
• NOAA weather reports and air quality alerts
• Traffic and pass reports and cameras
• Downloadable phone book with area informational numbers

One program in particular is near and dear to Wayne’s heart, the Elder Watch Advocacy Program. Elder Watch is a joint effort of the Des Moines Senior Advisory Committee, South King Fire & Rescue, The Enhanced Public Safety Committee, www.publicsafe.org and other Safety Response Personnel to provide advocacy for elderly victims of crime and neglect. This is the brain child of Wayne and Don Harper and is such a great resource that other communities are looking to start their own programs using their model.

Check out www.publicsafe.org – I promise you will find information that you didn’t even know you needed!

And thanks Wayne, for helping to keep our community safe and our neighbors informed.

by Josh Hart

Last October, a cool new program started in the Des Moines area when Don Harper and Wayne Corey founded the Des Moines/Normandy Park Elder Watch Program.

It took these guys 1-1/2 years to put together this project, which is aimed at increasing public awareness and reducing instances of Elder Abuse and neglect in the community.

Harper and Corey do this through a coordination of resources, support and response from various sources like the Des Moines Fire Aid Fund, South King Firefighters Foundation and the Legacy Foundation fund.

Wayne is the Elder Watch Co-Director, publisher of publicsafe.org, chairman of The Enhanced Public Safety Committee, a member of King County EMS/Medic One Advisory Committee, a volunteer for the Des Moines Police and South King Fire & Rescue, and a board member at the Des Moines Waterfront Farmer’s Market

Don also serves as Elder Watch Co-Director, a part of the Des Moines Senior Services Advisory Committee, and is a volunteer at the Des Moines Police and South King Fire & Rescue, a retired police officer, a volunteer at the Senior Services of King County, and a Suicide Prevention counselor.

Don and Wayne, along with the Des Moines Senior Advisory Committee, the Enhanced Public Safety Committee and local police target elders who get abused and who don’t get protected via the APS (Adult Protection Service). Don and Wayne find four ways of abuse, with Financial Exploitation and Neglect (either self neglect or caregiver neglect) as the most common one, in over 50% of cases. At a smaller amount but still noticeable is Physical and Emotional abuse along with sexual abuse in many cases.

• Intentionally causing pain and suffering and/or injury to an elderly adult can be considered physical and emotional abuse.
• Sexual Abuse is any form of non-consensual physical contact. It includes rape, molestation, or any sexual conduct with a person who lacks the mental capacity to exercise consent.
• Neglect is the failure of caregivers to fulfill their responsibilities to provide needed care. Self Neglect is the person’s own failure to maintain heath and safety. Intentionally taking advantage of an elderly adult financially is financial abuse.

The signs of these forms of abuse are the following:

• Physical & Emotional Abuse: unexplained injuries or behavior, elderly adult appears afraid of a person or circumstances, significant weight loss/gain that is not attributed to other causes, and stress related conditions, including elevated blood pressure.
• Sexual Abuse: inappropriate sex-role relationship between victim and suspect, genital or anal pain, irritation, bleeding or bruising, difficulty walking or sitting, torn, stained or bloody underclothing, and sexually transmitted diseases.
• Neglect/Self Neglect: untreated injuries or health, sudden decline in physical appearance, unsafe living conditions, and signs of medication mismanagement, including empty or unmarked bottles or outdated prescriptions.
• Financial Exploitation: disappearance of possessions or property, sudden transfer of money, unauthorized use of bank cards, and or/ forged signature on checks, and undue influence or coercion.

Only five percent of cases are reported, mainly because the elders are afraid to report the case or because they aren’t aware that they are being abused. Sometimes the elderly won’t talk to or let in First Responders, so Don and Wayne try to be less threatening and more low-key in trying to get the victim to open up.

Elder Watch provides victims rights information; help with information about the investigation; assistance with application for victims compensation benefits; liaison with prosecuting attorney’s office; referrals to other community agencies and resources that assist victims; assistance in getting property returned, and court support through the criminal justice process.

For more information on this program or to schedule a presentation to your group, please click on their website here: www.publicsafe.org/edlerwatch.org or call Elder Watch at 253-946-7338.

You can also visit the Des Moines Senior Center at 2045 S. 216th Street.

[EDITOR’S NOTE: Josh Hart is The Waterland Blog’s first Intern!

He’s also a 15-year old student at Highline’s “Big Picture High School” in SeaTac.