PENNSYLVANIA (WJAC) — Pennsylvania officials say they’re overhauling how services for older adults are monitored, with the goal of improving accountability and care.
The state’s Department of Aging stopped in Centre County on Monday to highlight a new performance evaluation system for area agencies on aging.
Officials say the comprehensive aging performance evaluation tool — also called “cape” — measures how agencies investigate suspected elder abuse, document cases and deliver services, while also identifying areas that need improvement instead of simply issuing pass-or-fail grades.
The department says the new system has also led to additional training for aging service professionals across the commonwealth.
“We see this large increase and now we’ve seen it flip; that self-neglect has moved aside, and financial exploitation is the number one cause of reports of need for us in the commonwealth. We see this as a growing concern. We see this work growing with all of our triple a’s. We want to make sure that we’re monitoring it and we’re supporting them in the way they need to,” said Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich.
State officials say the new evaluation system is designed to better prepare agencies as Pennsylvania’s older adult population continues to grow.