The line “bullying will not be tolerated” may bring to mind a junior high school hallway, but a series of seminars throughout May is meant to spread the same message in county senior centers.

“Seniors Bullying Seniors” is the title of the seminars, which were approved by the Butler County Commissioners last month and planned recently by the county Area Agency on Aging.

Beth Herold, the agency's administrator, said a public session for those who work with seniors, clergy, law enforcement or anyone interested in the subject will be held from 12:30 to 3 p.m. on Thursday at the Vagabond Center off Whitestown Road in Butler Township.

The seminar will be held in each of the eight senior centers in the county as well.

Senior bullying in the form of cliques, dirty looks, passive-aggressive interaction, bossing or demanding, gossiping, judgment, exclusion and other forms of unwelcoming behavior has been seen repeatedly in the county's senior centers and high-rise apartment buildings, Herold said.

“It is like the junior high on steroids,” Herold said of the behavior. “We can't discipline seniors because you don't want to degrade them, but some of this behavior is just not acceptable.”

She said while a certain amount bullying has gone on for some time, many seniors are no longer tolerating the behavior and are approaching managers at the senior centers to put a stop to it.

At that point the matter will be investigated by the senior center manager and the individuals involved will be notified that if the behavior continues, they may be asked not to return.

So far no seniors have been banned from their local center and a discussion is normally all it takes to alleviate the situation, Herold said.

“We would hate to see people stop coming, because the senior centers are such a wonderful resource,” she said. “It should be a welcoming and happy place.”

The seminar, Herold said, will explain senior bullying, identify the behavior behind it and the underlying problems that can cause it, and what can be done when senior bullying occurs.

“We are striving in the senior centers to create an environment where everyone feels welcome and feels safe and included, not judged,” Herold said.

She appreciates the county commissioners' support for the program as well.

“The commissioners are very proactive and supportive of our aging population,” Herold said. “They want to do things to help improve the emotional and physical health of seniors by making the centers a pleasant place to be.”

Terry Mann, the executive director of Lutheran Services Society, which is a division of Lutheran Senior Life, said his personnel recently went to three different senior facilities in three area counties to deal with senior bullying.

“We are running into it quite a bit,” Mann said. “Some is even becoming more aggressive.”

He gave as an example a group of nonsmokers who were bullying smokers by mocking them and preventing them from re-entering the building after smoking.

“The description 'junior high behavior' is very accurate,” Mann said.

In another instance, several senior men who were accused of bullying said they were “just picking” when confronted.

“Well, to that person being bullied, that's not just 'picking',” Mann said.

He said seniors in his centers who are found to be bullying are told in no uncertain terms that their behavior will not be tolerated.

“We address it with the bullies, and tell them if it continues, they will not be allowed to continue to come to our locations,” Mann said.

He does not feel socioeconomic status or any other such factors play a part in senior bullying.

“You've just got certain people who have that bullying behavior,” Mann said. “Usually when they realize they have no choice, they stop.”

He said grouchy adults are likely the ones to be more predisposed to senior bullying once they age.

“There are no grumpy old men or women,” Mann said. “They're grouchy young people who got old.”

While his organization may go several weeks or months with no reports of bullying, several cases may crop up in one week, Mann said.

“It is definitely a reality that we deal with,” he said.