​Older adults are the fastest growing segment of Ohio's population. They are also living longer, often with chronic conditions and limitations that make them vulnerable to abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
Since 2000, The HealthPath Foundation of Ohio's Prevention of Family Violence initiative has helped lay the groundwork for enhancing services and resources to prevent all forms of family violence in our 36-county service area. Because older adults are often vulnerable and elder abuse is common but overlooked, HealthPath has chosen to focus on protecting Ohio's older adults.
Victims of elder abuse come from all walks of life and are both men and women. Elder abuse is about as common as falls that require emergency care and new diagnoses of cancer. The Ohio Family Violence Prevention Project estimates that more than 105,000 Ohio older adults are abused or neglected each year. However, not all incidents are filed with Adult Protective Services (APS) across the state. To help ensure that older adults who are living in the community are safe and supported, The HealthPath Foundation of Ohio has selected Safe Elders as one of our result areas for 2017–2021.
To help ensure that Ohio's older adults living in the community are safe and supported, HealthPath will offer funding through three initiatives: Workforce Development, Direct Service, and Community Connections. Learn more about opportunities for funding.
If you have questions about HealthPath's work with family violence prevention, contact Eric DeWald, President, at 513-768-6128 or via email.