Adult Protective Services

Gloria Beck, 64, monotonously rubs her right arm. If she doesn't, it goes numb and becomes cold from a stroke she suffered last January from not taking her medication.

Beck has had three strokes. Her home care nurse recently called Adult Protective Services on a case of self-neglect because Beck was again out of Plavix and could potentially suffer another stroke.

She didn't take her meds in January because her supply dwindled, she said. She confused the amount with the medication she takes for her diabetes, a thyroid problem and high blood pressure.

That's when Beck's homecare nurse became concerned and called APS.

Michael Smith, APS case worker, responded to the report with Plavix in hand, but he was only able to assist in initial relief. He counseled the Becks on long-term resources that can help.

Beck doesn't know where she'll get her meds for next month - her Social Security won't kick in until she turns 65, which isn't until Dec. 27, and she won't have health insurance until she gets her Medicare card.

"They don't give us enough money to pay for medicine," Billy Beck, Gloria's husband, said.

Billy Beck makes too much in retirement and Social Security, thus they can't qualify for help from many local resources.

"It's too much for resources, but not enough to pay for anything," said Darla Barton, a community initiatives specialist for the Department of Family and Protective Services. 

"We only help with initial stabilizing," Barton said. APS only has a certain amount allotted a year from the government called the Emergency Services Funds, Barton said. This money is used for one-time emergency assistance in a case of abuse or neglect.

In Beck's case, the APS provided the Plavix for this month. Next month she'll have to look elsewhere.

"I'm in worse shape than he is, I don't understand," Gloria Beck said not understanding why she can't get help for her medicine.

Beck said she stretches out her meds when she doesn't know when or how she can refill her medicine.

"We are only as good as the resources of the community are," Barton said of APS.

Resources are anything from Medical Center Hospital, Catholic Charities and housing options, Barton said. However, there aren't many options in the housing department, said Bernadette Spears, director of Odessa Housing Authority. 

The Becks had to abandon their home of 18 years after a storm destroyed their trailer last spring.

Insurance wouldn't cover the damage because their trailer was too old. Red Cross wouldn't help because they don't deal with trailers, the Becks said. Barton agreed that was in fact true.

 Without help to fix their house they moved to Dallas with relatives.

The Becks are happy that they're back in Odessa, and they found a home after spending months on a waiting list.

Their story isn't an isolated case.

Mary Loya with APS has seen an increase in intakes for homelessness, which adds to the difficulty of assisting their clients. 

When these cases come their way, APS tries to find them a shelter or home, but with the current housing dilemmas in Odessa this has been difficult, Barton said.

"Places are hard to find," Barton said. 

Spears said it's impossible for her to find anyone housing anywhere in the area. She said the local market has made it impossible to find affordable housing for all of her clients, which is bad for her program.

"We really started feeling it about three years ago," she said.

And they don't have the option of sending them anywhere else.

"Everything in a 40-mile radius has the same problems," Spears said.

She finds some hope in the new hotels going up, but "people coming to work in the oilfields are filling those up," she said.

Spears said this has "by all means" increased homelessness in Odessa.

She said she has faith that Odessa will catch up, but that it may be too late.

"By the time housing catches up, what will have happened to those who've been in need all this time?" she asked.

FACT FILE

Here are some facts about Adult Protective Services:

>> Some estimate adult abuse is as common as child abuse.

>> Growing population of elderly people has increased number of reports of abuse.

>> APS also deals with cases of neglect in nursing homes.

 >> Fiscal year 2007 APS filed 607 competed investigations. The state of Texas filed 64, 459.