'Taking A Stand Against Elder Abuse' through education
Opening ceremony grand entry for the "Taking A Stand Against Elder Abuse" conference on Wednesday, May 18.
By ROSELYNN YAZZIE
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — The 10th Annual Taking A Stand Against Elder Abuse Conference opening ceremony was on Wednesday, May 18 at the Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel where the focus was on dementia and Alzheimer’s as well as historical trauma and drug and alcohol abuse.
Marcia Hall has been the Adult Protection Worker for the last 13 years. This year there was 25 different tribes representing from the United States and Canada making attendance over 300 people.
Hall said it’s tremendous to see the event grow through the years.
Hall said in her line of work it’s always important for all to be educated on what’s out there, on what works and doesn’t work. Also working with not only state and federal entities but with different tribes on how they can help one another.
“This event is basically that effort to have us more aware of what’s out there,” she said.
Adult Protection Worker Marcia Hall.
Title VI from the Office of American Indians, Alaska Natives, Hawaiian Natives were in attendance and the Administration for Community Living (ACL) out of Washington D.C. were recording certain segments of the presentations to be broadcasted and used as a training mechanism for Title VI managers.
“This is just a good way for us to spotlight what we do here for the Tribes,” she said, later adding they are always looking to build onto the program and improve services.
Hall added it was nice to see everyone come together.
Emceeing for the event is Joseph Brings Plenty Sr. from Eagle Butte, South Dakota.
Elders in attendance look through the program materials.
The opening ceremonies included a grand entry featuring veterans bringing in the colors and a banner display of all the tribes represented at the conference as the Spring Creek Singers sang.
Fort Hall Business Council (FHBC) Secretary Ladd Edmo offered the prayer saying it was to bring good feelings throughout the day.
Miss Shoshone-Bannock Ontaria Arrow White welcomed the crowd to the event saying it was an honor to be there and she appreciated everyone for coming and hopes they enjoy themselves.
Randy Thompson, Bureau of Indian Affairs of Fort Hall Superintendent, said protecting elders should not be something they have to be about, but something they already do. He said the change of protecting and honoring the elders happens every day and it should be taught to the kids.
“Our two most important resources are our children and our elders. We need to realize that,” he said. “All you people that are here learning and taking in this information please take it home and lets’ make this a start of a change and maybe next year we can honor our elders instead of talk about protecting them.”
Fort Hall Business Council Member Nathan Small said it was good to see the turnout and all the tribes present. He said they all have one thing in common and that’s to try to convince the young people to have some respect for the older folks. He says it’s been a tough year in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, which has also resulted in a heavy amount of drug use by the young people. He said there have been problems with overdose and deaths due to it because it’s a powerful drug that takes the young people away from their families. He said it needs to be a priority.
FHBC Chairman Devon Boyer said all the things that would be discussed today would be for the future.
“We need to improve, we need to make things better, and we need to make sure it happens,” he said. “We want health and happiness for everyone and we want all of you to be able to teach our younger folks. For years and years yet to come, so they can pass that knowledge on.”
Information tables at the conference.
Boyer said a lot of people are lost and hurt and that needs to be fixed. He emphasized they need to make sure the older people are taken care of. He asked the young people in attendance to take the time to listen to their elders and gather as much information as they can because it can be lost.
A moment of silence was observed to pay tribute to those lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Adult Protection Services was the first presentation with Susan Cronquist, SICOG/AAA Adult Protection Services Supervisor and Marcia Hall, Sho-Ban Tribes Adult Protection Services. The two have collaborated to initiate investigations, respond to crisis calls, medical, reports of elder abuse, neglect and self-neglect, filing for guardianship, protection orders, to name a few. The two work together to provide better services for the vulnerable and elderly.
“It was a reach out across boarders that helped both of our programs,” said Cronquist.
“Taking A Stand Against Elder Abuse” is a two-day conference with a variety of presentations centering on topics brought forth by surveys participants will complete at the end of the event. Topics like: Healthy Brain Initiative; Drugs on the Rez; Predator Lender Beware; Elder Abuse in Indian Country; Using the Brain Health; Historical Trauma; Drug Information Training for Educational Professionals; Meeting of Elder Minds.
There will also be an Honoring Elder Awards session.
