SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- The Sevierville P.D. wants seniors and those who care for them to become more aware of abuse, neglect and exploitation. In the last nine months they've made four arrests...Three involving neglect and one due to financial exploitation.

"It's a big problem. A lot of it goes unreported. Only one out of 23 cases are usually reported," Sgt. Rebecca Cowen of the Sevierville Police Department, told WVLT.

Warning signs and symptoms of elder abuse include
Physical injuries, deteriorating illness, anxiety, increasing depression, confusion, sudden financial problems, constant switching of doctors and telling stories that differ greatly from the caregiver's version.

"Elder abuse is severe and 40-billion dollars is taken every year from older people," said O.H. Oliveira, a Clinical Medical Psychologist.

Today's discussion hit home for one senior, who's fairly certain she knows a victim of elder abuse.

"This person came to the center and she was very active i thought, very vocal and very smart, and one day she never came back," said 85 year old Bea Harrell.

Bea says her friend owned a home and might have been forced into a senior care facility. A victim of family exploitation

"For so often it's been going in in our communities, but nobody's been reporting it so this is a day to make people aware that it's going on in our community and it's okay to talk about it and it's okay get help for it," Lisa Yarber, Executive Director of the Sevier Co. Office on Aging, told WVLT.

"Now we know anything comes up like that again who to go to and voice our concerns, you know," said Bea Harrell.