Bonny's New Links
By Bonny Zeh
October 11, 2022
I realized that people interested in bullying senior citizens/persons with disabilities needed information. Moreover, bully-victims need to know that they are not alone, even though bullies and mobbing groups try to make bully victims feel isolated.
After over a year’s hiatus, I have gotten around to updating the general links list. I have found 22 new articles, blog posts, and other resources. I would like to highlight some of the more important links:
1. PREVENTING and ADDRESSING HARASSMENT in Housing: Fact Sheet for Property Owners and Managers”, U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Link: https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/FHEO/images/owners-managers-508.pdf
This fact sheet summarizes the responsibilities landlords and building managers have to prevent bullying, harassment, or mobbing, under HUD rules. Victims of bullying need to be aware of this, for if you are being bullied or harassed (whether it be by someone who works for your landlord, other residents, or the landlord) because you are a member of a protected class and the perpetrator(s) mention that, you can complain to HUD. I was repeatedly called names by a senior citizen loitering by the front door of my building because, in her mind, I was faking being disabled, that I was taking advantage of the system and shouldn’t be living in subsidized housing. I spoke to my building manager, quoting what this senior said, making it clear that I am being harassed due to my membership in a federally protected class. My building manager made it clear to this senior citizen that if she continued doing this, the building manager will start the eviction process.
If you are being bullied or mobbed, print this fact sheet out and keep it with copies of letters you have sent management about the problems you are having. You might want to include this fact sheet when you write a complaint letter to your landlord or building manager.
2. From the Washington Post: “How housing that mixes young and old can improve lives of both”, September 14, 2021 Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/how-housing-that-mixe…;
One of the missions of the Stop Bullying Coalition is to promote healthy, inclusive communities. Matt Fuchs, the author of this article, highlights the work of several organizations: PACArts and ACE 121 in California, Mi Case, a Washington DC nonprofit, and encore.org, the work they do, and how mixed-age communities benefit all.
3. David P. Shallcross, Director of the Senior Protection Unit, Office of the Attorney General, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, put together a PowerPoint that, simply and succinctly describes bullying among older adults and its consequences. Link: https://www.lehighcounty.org/Portals/0/PDF/HS/Aging/Conf%2003.pdf?ver=2…
4. Jill Shutes wrote a summary article in CSA Journal, “Bullying: Not Just an Adolescent Issue”, in 2020. This journal is sent to all members of the Society of Certified Senior Care Advisors. These are professionals who help seniors and their families arrange for appropriate care and living situations for older adults. One of the goals of this society is to improve the quality of life of seniors—and that includes helping seniors have enriching social relationships. Link: https://www.guardianship.org/wp-content/uploads/Bullying-Not-Just-an-Ad…
5. Most of the focus on senior citizen bullying has been on senior versus senior. Remember that landlords and their employees can be bullies—and terrorize residents. Frances Shari Parker, an Eldercare Consultant, discusses this in her LinkedIn blog post, “Staff Bullies in Older Adult Senior Living Communities. [The article listed here can't be found, we will search for the source.]
Enjoy,
Bonny
New Entries: October 3, 2022
_____."What You Need To Know About Senior Bullying", TerraBella Senior Living, accessed October 3, 2022. https://www.terrabellaseniorliving.com/senior-living-blog/what-you-need…
Drake, Don. "What's Behind 'Bullying' Behaviors in the Senior Population", Connelly Law Offices, August 3, 2022. https://www.connellylaw.com/post/senior-bullying-activity
Krawczyk, Robin. "Social Bullying in Senior Housing: How You Can Make a Positive Difference", Wayland, MA, accessed October 3, 2022. https://www.wayland.ma.us/sites/g/files/vyhlif4016/f/uploads/bullying_i…
_____."Bullying at any age is not OK: Practical Steps and Toolkit to reduce Bullying between Older Adults", Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario, February 25, 2022. https://eapon.ca/aiovg_videos/practical-steps-and-toolkit-to-reduce-bul…
Parker, F. "Staff Bullies in Older Adult Senior Living Communities" LinkedIn, January 25, 2021.https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/staff-bullies-older-adult-senior-living-…
Phillips, Sally. "Bullying Among Seniors is Real--Keys to Identifying Problem", LTC News, accessed October 3, 2022. https://www.ltcnews.com/articles/bullying-among-senior-is-real-how-to-i…
Shutes, Jill. "Bullying: Not Just an Adolescent Issue", CSA Journal, 80(3), 2020. https://www.guardianship.org/wp-content/uploads/Bullying-Not-Just-an-Ad…
Madsen, K., Frances, L., Ayenew, E, Behnke, P. "Senior to Senior Anti-Bullying Toolkit", Sheridan Centre for Elder Research, March 30, 2020. https://source.sheridancollege.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&cont…
Shallcross, David. "Bullying and Older Adults", Office of the Attorney General of Pennsylvania, accessed October 3, 2022. https://www.lehighcounty.org/Portals/0/PDF/HS/Aging/Conf%2003.pdf?ver=2…
Wade, C. "Report finds widespread bullying in public housing", The Eagle-Tribune, January 8, 2018. https://www.eagletribune.com/news/haverhill/report-finds-widespread-bul…
Zahn, Brian. "Security or 'senior bullying'? West Haven Housing Authority bans residents' use of smart cameras", New Haven Register, January 11, 2022. https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/Security-or-senior-bullying-Wes…
DiMaggio-Berger, Donna. "Can Your Community Association Stop Bullying and Harassment in Their Tracks", Florida Community Association Professionals, December 2017. https://www.fcapgroup.com/flcaj/flcaj-articles/bullying-and-harassment/
_____."Elderly resident targeted by retirement village bullies", Otago news, August 4, 2021. https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-lifestyle/star-home-and-gardening/…
Fuchs, Matt. "How housing that mixes young and old can improve the lives of both", Washington Post, September 14, 2021. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/how-housing-that-mixe…
Votto, Paul. "Bullying in senior housing: Is it a real problem?", The National Center for Housing Management, May 6, 2014. https://www.nchm.org/bullying-in-senior-housing-is-it-a-real-problem/
Votto, Paul. "Bullying in senior housing strikes chord", The National Center for Housing Management, January 9, 2015. https://www.nchm.org/bullying-in-senior-housing-strikes-chord/
Parker, Frances. "Bullying Solutions in Older Adult Senior Communities", LinkedIn, January 28, 2020. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bullying-solutions-older-adult-senior-co…
Jones, Jennifer. "Bullying Has No Age Limit", NAHP Update, Fall, 2019. https://www.nahma.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Fall2019_NAHPUpdate_FI…
_____. "Bullying in Senior Living: What to Do", WTOP, September 28, 2020. https://wtop.com/news/2020/09/bullying-in-senior-living-what-to-do/
_____. "PREVENTING and ADDRESSING HARASSMENT in Housing: Fact Sheet for Property Owners and Managers", U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development", accessed October 10, 2022. https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/FHEO/images/owners-managers-508.pdf
_____. "If someone's harassed you in housing: This advice applies to England", citizens advice, accessed October 10, 2022. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/housing/discrimination-in-housing/che…