On Saturday, June 12th, the Rotary Club of Des Moines is conducting “Roto-Mow,” an annual service event that focuses on assisting folks who need a little help with yard work, clean-up and light landscaping.

As many of our Readers know, the Rotary Club of Des Moines, founded in 1958, has a long and rich history serving the Des Moines and Highline Communities.

A sample of the many service projects led by the Rotary Club of Des Moines include community literacy, parks improvement, support to the Des Moines Area Food bank and other service organizations, partnership with local schools, and sponsorship of community events, including the annual Poverty Bay Wine Festival.

Rotarians are looking for a few things, namely:

• More project homes: We try to find folks, usually elderly or disabled, in the Des Moines community, who need some extra help maintaining their properties. If you know of someone who might be a good candidate for this program, let us know and we will follow up!!
• More volunteers: Church groups, sports groups, service groups, any one who wants to contribute is welcome. This is a great opportunity to help out in YOUR community! To volunteer or refer a potential property, please contact Steve Swank, Community Service Chair, Rotary Club of Des Moines, at: sfaustin@comcast.net or 253-941-4959

This is a great event and opportunity to directly impact your community!

Helen Jensen, 95, was found dead early Tuesday morning (Dec. 8th) after wandering away in her wheelchair from the Wesley Homes Health Care Center in Des Moines Monday night.

According to KING-TV, Jensen went missing from Wesley Homes Monday night around 11:45pm. Staff apparently did not call police until about 2:30am. After police searched for her for about 45 minutes, they found her deceased body on the ground about 100 yards away at 1000 South 216th Street.

Police reviewed video surveillance tapes and saw that Jensen had left the nursing home in her wheelchair around 11:45pm.

The King County medical examiner has not yet determined Jensen’s cause of death, but temperatures have been below freezing for the last several nights, raising the possibility that Jensen died of exposure.

Here’s a video report from KING-TV:

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.