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In This Issue...
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911
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Capitola’s Elder Abuse Task Force
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Capitola’s Elder Abuse Task Force
A month before the one-two punch of devastation brought to the Gulf Coast by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Capitola Police Department formed an Elder Abuse Task Force consisting of the Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office, the Central Fire Protection District, the Ombudsman Office, Adult Protective Services, other public agencies, and nongovernmental organizations. The task force focused on improving the quality of life for local senior citizens living in caregiver situations, long-term or assistive care facilities, shut-ins and lower income housing areas. Witnessing the mental and physical toll of the twin hurricanes on the elderly motivated the task force to evaluate local emergency evacuation plans.
The Elder Abuse Task Force, co-chaired by Capitola Chief of Police Rick Ehle and Santa Cruz County District Attorney Bob Lee, formed a sub-committee. I chair that subcommittee and we hope to address the development of an evacuation plan especially targeted to our elderly population. The subcommittee consists of members from the Senior Network Services, the Ombudsmans Office, Adult Services, Adult Protective Services, Seniors Council and the Central Fire Protection District. The overarching goal of the sub-committee is to mitigate and prepare vulnerable elder populations for evacuation in time of a disaster.
Task Presents Challenges, Preparedness Kits to be Distributed
Based on the Santa Cruz County 2000 census, there are about 24,000 seniors over age 65, 9,400 people listed as disabled, 3,300 who suffer a sensory disability, 6,300 with a physical limitation, 2,500 with a mental condition limiting their ability and 2,000 considered to be self-care patients.
The total number of special needs population in Santa Cruz County amounts to almost 20 percent of the total population. Using the equation that one person in five has some degree of disability the city of Capitola is home to about 2,000 vulnerable people.
Working together, the evacuation committee is currently developing a plan to assist the elderly during an evacuation order. An elder person registry has been discussed, so seniors lacking the ability to move during a disaster will not be left behind. The File of Life Foundation will supply identification cards containing the elder person’s critical information.
The local chapter of the Red Cross also offers a one-person, three-day disaster kit containing various essential items: emergency water and food rations, emergency rescue blanket, 12-hour light stick, dust mask, sanitary napkins, toilet paper, whistle, first aid kit, and other items. Each survival kit costs the Red Cross $44 and the kit is sold to the public at no additional cost.
The evacuation committee’s goal is to get 200 disaster kits for distribution to vulnerable populations. To offset the cost of the kits, the committee is looking for public and private sponsorships. The newly formed Capitola Public Safety and Community Service Foundation has graciously agreed to help with the purchase. However, more needs to be done to reach our goal. Individuals and corporations wishing to help in this worthy cause are asked to e-mail Captain Todd Mayer at tmayer @ci.capitola.ca.us.
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