About 15 organizations gathered at the Muskingum County Center for Seniors Friday morning to educate, empower and celebrate senior citizens in the community.

Last week encompassed World Elder Abuse Day and the Muskingum County Interdisciplinary Team, as part of Adult Protective Services, hosted The Power of Purple, which aims to promote health and safety related strategies to prevent elder abuse.

As seniors walked into the center on Friday, booths lined the outside of the main room. Laminated paper houses were strung across the room overhead to represent the 419 referrals Adult Protective Services of Muskingum County has received in the last year.

Many of the houses were different shapes, sizes and colors. Patsy McDonald, Team Leader for Muskingum County’s Adult Protective Services, said the reason for the variety of houses is because the inside of a home cannot be judged based on the outside appearance.

“You don’t know what’s going on inside a home,” McDonald said.

In an effort to help seniors become more involved in the community and less isolated in their older years, the Muskingum County Interdisciplinary Team invited many organizations in the community that are of interest to seniors to set up a table from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Friday.

Organizations involved included Child and Adult Protective Services, the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department, the Muskingum County Library System, the Zanesville Fire Department, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, Rambo and many more.

Seniors were encouraged to visit every station, each featuring different information or activities.

One station was a driving simulator which allowed seniors to see how well they drive. The same station provided information on alternative transportation options in the community, and different grocery pick-up or delivery services for those who have decided to stop driving.

“What if you lose your ability to drive, how are you going to get from place to place,” McDonald said of the many resources for senior if they find themselves without a license.

Another station featured free hug tickets in which seniors could exchange a ticket for a hug from a representative at the table. McDonald said many seniors don’t receive hugs and emphasized the importance of being around other people, and hugging.

A station in the back of the room had two telephones and seniors were invited to sit across from the table workers and practice how to recognize and say no to a scam.

From more serious topics — addiction, fitness, fire safety and health — to more light-hearted topics —giving hugs, receiving a hand-made card from elementary school students, getting a hand-massage, participating in book and DVD drop-offs — each booth was present to empower, educate and encourage senior community members in a different way.

In addition to representing homes in the community with the strung houses, every tenth senior to enter the center was pinned with a purple ribbon. Each person wearing a ribbon was representative of the one out every 10 seniors, 60 years old or older, that will experience abuse, McDonald said.

While many seniors are not abused during their older years, McDonald said one in every 10 is still far too many.