We recently had the wonderful opportunity to reconnect with several founding members of the original Oakland County SAVE Task Force (Serving Adults Who Are Vulnerable and/or Elderly). It was a privilege to sign copies of Caregiver Tsunami for this dedicated group of professionals who have been in the trenches of elder advocacy for decades.
Back in 2004, we recognized a dangerous gap in how our systems responded to the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of seniors. Information was siloed; law enforcement, judges, attorneys, and community aging organizations were often working in isolation while vulnerable adults fell through the cracks.
As a founding Co-Chair of the SAVE Task Force, I helped bring these multidisciplinary leaders together to create one of the first coordinated responses of its kind in Michigan. Our goal was simple but ambitious: combine high-level policy leadership with grassroots engagement to ensure no senior had to face a crisis alone.
In Caregiver Tsunami, I talk about the “Healthcare Maze” and the “Ostrich Syndrome” that families often face. But there is another, darker side to the caregiving wave: financial exploitation and elder abuse. These are issues that a single family or a lone caregiver cannot solve on their own. They require a “coordinated response”—a network of professionals who know how to communicate across department lines to protect those who can no longer protect themselves.
The work we started over 20 years ago continues today through SAVE. It remains a testament to what happens when we refuse to accept indifference and decide to go “all in” for our seniors.
Advocacy doesn’t always require a title or a task force seat. It starts with your humanity – your willingness to pay attention and speak up when something doesn’t feel right.
If you are in Oakland County, Michigan and need to report issues of elder abuse or exploitation, please do not hesitate to contact Genessa Doolittle at Doolittleg@oakgov.com.
For those outside the area, I encourage you to reach out to your local Area Agency on Aging or the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. They are your “GPS” in the storm, and they are ready to help.