Sentinel photo by SIERRA BOLGER
Lynn Fiedler (right) and Kim Rigel of Journey to Justice conduct an elder abuse and dementia presentation to caregivers at Greenwood Village (Independent Living, Memory Care, and Nursing Care) in Lewistown on Tuesday.

LEWISTOWN — After one woman’s devastating news that her mother and 16 other patients were being abused by staff at a personal care facility, she dedicated her time to advocating for the elderly.

In 2023, Lynn Fiedler founded Journey to Justice, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting older adults who can’t protect themselves from abuse, neglect, exploitation and abandonment.

Fiedler, a former school teacher and elder abuse advocate, visited nurses, CNAs, RNs and healthcare workers at Greenwood Village (Independent Living, Memory Care, and Nursing Care) on Tuesday to educate caregivers on dementia and elder abuse.

Fiedler explained different types of abuse, such as physical, emotional, sexual, financial and social media abuse.

Fiedler shared her mother’s story of abuse, stating that an 18-year-old female and a 17-year-old male healthcare workers at Heritage Springs Memory Care center near Lewisburg took naked photos and videos and posted them to their Snapchat accounts.

Fiedler and Kim Rigel of Journey to Justice detailed the abuse that the healthcare workers inflicted on Fiedler’s mother and 16 others.

While completely or partially naked, the patients were recorded, laughed at and some were even made to wear signs around their necks with explicit and foul language written on them, according to Fiedler.

Journey to Justice later developed training sessions for healthcare professionals and the public to deepen understanding of dementia and the challenges it presents.

Fiedler works to improve the lives of nursing home residents and patients through visiting schools, colleges, and healthcare facilities to raise awareness, focusing on preventing abuse and supporting victims.

“Other ways the elderly are abused is with neglect, which can include not bathing, feeding or even socializing with the patient. Seclusion is a form of abuse in which a caregiver will isolate a resident because they may be aggravated or annoyed with them, and there are other ways to handle this,” said Fiedler.

Fiedler and Rigel highlighted the importance of reporting elder abuse.

“I am very passionate about this,” said Fiedler.

Fiedler shared that healthcare workers cannot be fired for reporting abuse, and it is very important to stand up for the elderly.

“If you as a human being can be sitting here right now working in this facility and see abuse and do not feel in your soul to report that, you need to get up and walk out that door because you do not belong in healthcare,” said Fiedler.

Fiedler didn’t stop there; her organization aims to change laws to protect others.

The non-profit organization Journey to Justice has fought to change laws and create new ones, including introducing new bills in Harrisburg with the support of current organization members and the work of Sen. Lynda Culver, R-Pa.

Journey to Justice aims to pass “Alice’s Law” to create a registry for those who abuse older adults in Pennsylvania.

Until then, Journey to Justice supports the elderly by donating tools such as “dementia clocks” to improve residents’ quality of life as part of the Outreach Beneficiary Program.

This program provides items to facilities to make the lives of the older population happier and safer by providing digital calendar day clocks to facilities as well as simple music players designed specifically for dementia patients. The music players are programmable with music themes and are one-touch for easy, independent use.

The nonprofit also funds live music programs with local artists for facilities, expanding its reach even further.

To receive further information or help, email journeytojustice23@gmail.com or follow the Journey to Justice Facebook page.