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ELDER ABUSE CONFERENCE
HELD AT THE VERN RIFFE
CENTER
ON SHAWNEE STATE CAMPUS
Elder Abuse
Conference speakers (l. to r.): Dr. Wayne Wheeler,
JD, of Southern Ohio Medical Center and Deputy
Coroner for Scioto County; Kaye Inoshita, RN,
Director of the Area Agency on Aging District 7,
Inc. Ombudsman Program; Prosecutor Paul Greenwood of
the Office of the District Attorney Elder Abuse
Unit, Family Protection Division in San Diego,
California; Nikki Henderson, MSSW, Investigator with
the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office; and, Pamela
K. Matura, Executive Director of the Area Agency on
Aging District 7, Inc.
The Area Agency on Aging District 7, Inc. (AAA7)
hosted the Fourth Annual Elder Abuse Conference:
“Collaborating on the Prosecution of Elder Abuse
Cases” at the Shawnee State University Vern Riffe
Center for the Arts in Portsmouth, Ohio on November
1, 2006. Those attending included law enforcement,
social service agencies, public and legal officials,
medical personnel, and the other interested parties
from across southern Ohio and the tri-state region.
Conference participants were provided with the
Judicial, Law Enforcement, and Medical Perspectives
on prosecuting cases of elder abuse in order for
them to be able to collaborate and protect this
vulnerable segment of our population.
Pamela K. Matura, AAA7 Executive Director, opened
the Fourth Annual Elder Abuse Conference and
introduced Mark Kuhn, Scioto County Prosecutor,
Chief of Portsmouth Police Charles Horner, and
Scioto County Sheriff Marty Donini, who represented
the local team efforts against elder abuse.
The trio introduced their colleague from across the
country, animated keynote speaker Paul Greenwood,
Prosecutor with the District Attorney’s Office,
Elder Abuse Unit, in San Diego, California, who
presented “A Prosecutor’s Perspective on the
Prosecution of Elder Abuse Cases,” spreading his
passion for prosecution of over 200 felony cases of
elder and dependent adult abuse, both physical and
financial. Following Greenwood, Suzanne Shelpman, AAA7 Director
of Long Term Care, shared information about the
Behavioral Health Initiative and the developing
network collaborating to address the behavioral
health needs of older Ohioans.
Captain John Murphy of the Scioto County Sheriff’s
Department introduced the next speaker, Nikki
Henderson, MSSW, Investigator for the Kentucky
Attorney General’s Office, who presented “A Law
Enforcement Officer’s Perspective on the Prosecution
of Elder Abuse Cases” emphasizing the collaborations
needed between law enforcement, social services, and
the community to aid in the prosecution of fraud,
financial exploitation and physical elder abuse
cases. Dave Swingle, AAA7 Licensed Social Worker and member
of the Scioto County Adult Protective Services (APS)
Task Force, introduced the speaker providing the
medical perspective, Dr. Wayne Wheeler, JD,
Director, External and Governmental Affairs,
Chairman of the Ethics Committee, and the Risk
Management Committee at Southern Ohio Medical
Center, who discussed “A Doctor’s Perspective on the
Prosecution of Elder Abuse Cases” providing medical
and legal expertise in regard to prosecution of
elder abuse, neglect and exploitation.
Kay Inoshita, RN, AAA7 Ombudsman Program Director
and Chairperson of the Scioto County APS Task Force,
closed the 4th Annual Elder Abuse Conference with a
call for all participants to practice awareness and
diligence in reporting suspected elder abuse and to
continue to educate the public about elder and
dependent adult exploitation.
The Area Agency on Aging District 7, Inc. planning
committee in collaboration with the Scioto County
Adult Protective Services Task Force wish to thank
the following sponsors for making a success of the
Fourth Annual Elder Abuse Conference: Shawnee State
University, Southern Ohio Medical Center, Dr.
Tsuyoshi Inoshita, Portsmouth Cancer Care
Associates, United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC),
Ramada Inn, Hempstead Manor, The UPS Store, Best
Care Nursing and Rehab, Golden Years Healthcare,
Greenbriar Healthcare Center and Woodland Care
Center. The Area Agency on Aging District 7, Inc. serves
Adams, Brown, Gallia, Highland, Jackson, Lawrence,
Pike, Ross, Scioto and Vinton Counties. “Services
provided on a non-discriminatory basis.”
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