COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced two new partnerships in Columbus aimed at increasing awareness of elder abuse and stopping financial exploitation before it devastates older Ohioans.

The Ohio Bankers League and the Ohio Health Care Association are teaming with the Attorney General’s Office as part of a coordinated statewide campaign to educate Ohioans on the warning signs of elder abuse and how to prevent it.

Elder abuse doesn’t always leave bruises,” Yost said. “Sometimes it looks like unusual withdrawals or a sudden change in financial behavior. Our financial institutions are a first line of defense.

The partnerships build on efforts announced last fall with the Ohio Pharmacists Association, expanding the network of frontline professionals who regularly interact with older Ohioans, including bankers, health-care providers and pharmacists.

The new partnerships include training focused on identifying signs and symptoms of elder abuse and financial exploitation, distribution of educational materials to increase awareness and provide guidance on where victims and families can turn for help, and using partner websites, member networks and public-facing platforms to expand outreach and increase reporting.

“When you’re dealing with an epidemic, you need a big army,” Yost said at a press conference this morning with representatives of the trade associations. “These partnerships are critical.”

Yost’s office said scams targeting older adults are becoming more sophisticated and more common, and that financial institutions are positioned to spot red flags such as suspicious withdrawals, unusual check-writing patterns and sudden wire transfers. With coordination with law enforcement and improved reporting, banks can help prevent scammers from draining victims’ accounts.

“On behalf of the Ohio Bankers League and Ohio’s community banks, I want to thank Attorney General Yost and his team for inviting us to be a partner in this critically important effort to combat elder financial fraud,” Mike Adelman said. Adelman is president and CEO of the Ohio Bankers League, which consists of more than 170 FDIC-insurance financial institutions. “This partnership matters, and it sends a powerful message to Ohioans that government and local banks are standing together to protect our most vulnerable neighbors.”

Health-care providers can also play a role by recognizing signs of physical, emotional and sexual abuse and encouraging elderly patients to report it.

“For every Ohio Health Care Association member, the safety, well-being and compassionate care of residents, especially in their most vulnerable moments, are our highest priorities,” Scott Wiley said, CEO of the Ohio Health Care Association, which represents more than 1,300 assisted-living communities, providers of home care and hospice services, and skilled nursing-care facilities.

Every Ohioan entrusted to our care deserves to feel safe, respected, seen and valued,” Wiley said.

Yost’s office said elder abuse in Ohio has grown by 400% in the past seven years. Estimates show one in 10 Ohioans age 60 or older suffer abuse, but only one in five cases is reported.

Sara Kilpatrick, executive director and CEO of the Ohio Pharmacists Association, said her association is working with Yost’s office to provide educational information on prescription bags and window-ledge cards for distribution to pharmacies throughout Ohio.

“Too many older Ohioans suffer in silence,” Kilpatrick said. “Pharmacists are in a unique position to help protect and support these vulnerable neighbors.”

Since October, the Attorney General’s Office has been expanding a statewide awareness campaign encouraging Ohioans to learn the warning signs of elder abuse and financial exploitation and report suspected cases. A central part of the effort is the video “What’s Done in the Dark,” which is being shared by the Attorney General’s Elder Justice Unit and partner agencies across Ohio.

The Elder Abuse Commission recently released its biennial report outlining prevention efforts, training initiatives and coordination among agencies focused on protecting older adults.

Ohioans who suspect elder abuse, neglect or financial exploitation are encouraged to contact local law enforcement or their county Adult Protective Services office.

Additional resources are available through the Attorney General’s Office.