ESCANABA – The director of the Tri-County Safe Harbor says elder abuse is a problem that many people are not aware of. Molly Larson says often the abuse comes from the children.

“So many of our elders that struggle with this are also losing their own mental capabilities. They are not the mother or grandmother that we grew up with and they can be difficult at times but they are really the victims of violence from their own children,” Larson said. “It’s important that we be aware of it.”

This is elder abuse awareness month. Larson says they get calls on their hotline dealing with elder abuse. They are often referred to other agencies such as UPCAP and Pathways.

Larson says abuse can include verbal abuse, neglect and fraud.