Are You in Control of Your Medications?
As Elder Service Officers and law enforcement dealing with older adults, often medications older adults possess become target for theft, mismanagement, and elder abuse – in short, criminal actions: and older adults? Criminal targets.
How does Triad and medication safety then, become part of the same mission? How does the mission statement “Triad: Working Together to Keep Seniors Safe” interplay with Medication safety? How difficult is it to demonstrate withholding medications as a form of Elder Abuse? As an Elder Service or other Law Enforcement Officer, how can we demonstrate that medications are missing? What are the consequences of medication withholding or theft?
The statistics are sobering. Non-compliance is any deviation from Doctors' instructions; not taking medication as prescribed; not taking it at all, taking too little or too much, at the wrong time, or taking it with another medication, supplement or even food that could cause an interaction. And non-compliance causes over 125,000 deaths a year in the U.S. One study found the number to be much higher; 300,000 deaths. It's also responsible for 23% of nursing home admissions and 10% of hospital admissions. A look at some additional numbers reveals more about the problem and why it matters to Triads and to Law Enforcement. - Two-thirds of trips to a doctor result in prescriptions, totaling over 2.8 BILLION a year. Each week 80% of U.S. adults use prescription or over-the-counter drugs, or dietary supplements.
- Five out of six people 65+ take at least one prescription. Over 30% of adults take five or more different medications. Almost half of older adults take three or more. 92% of multiple medication users are 50+.
- 55% of older patients don't take their medicine correctly. Adverse Drug Reactions increase exponentially with 4 or more medications. One study found non-compliance in 86% of those on 3+ medications. The risk for drug errors in seniors is seven times that of people under 65. A study of seniors found a nearly 22% error rate for creating a medication schedule and sorting the medication into a pill sorter.
- According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, pain relievers are the most widely diverted and abused prescription psychotherapeutics. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) believes that most of these pain relievers are controlled prescription opioids. Opioid pain relievers, tranquilizers, and sedatives are abused primarily by young adults aged 18 to 25; adolescents (12 to 17 years of age) also compose a significant user group for these drugs. Diverted CPDs are generally distributed by individuals, among friends and family, and through rogue Internet pharmacies. CPDs are acquired by abusers through such diversion techniques as doctor-shopping, prescription fraud, and theft.
“In those communities where prescription theft is an issue, the abuser knows when prescriptions are filled and when to visit the senior. Aging in place becomes impossible because a diminished quality of life is and even death are the results of prescription theft from these individuals” says National Triad Director, Edward Hutchison.
What’s more, annually, 38 million older Americans suffer drug complications, 180,000 of them life-threatening. Medication non-compliance can be tragic and costly, affecting both health and budget of the older adult and the community. - A study of diabetes and heart disease patients found mortality rates among those who did not take their medications as prescribed were nearly double the rates of those who adhered to their regimens.
- Patients with diabetes who fail to take their medications as directed have almost twice the total annual health care costs of those who take them correctly, at $16,498 compared to $8,886,
Medication can affect older people differently so it's even more crucial to manage medications carefully. According to Amanda Hinkle, Head Pharmacist at AccuPax Pharmacy, “When adjusting doses of medications for seniors it is very important to monitor for side effects. They may not experience a side effect as quickly or they may experience complications at a much lower dose than someone younger. It is also important to let the patient know that they should report any changes in their well being to their physician especially if they have just had a medication change or dosing adjustment. As a Pharmacist, I encourage any of our patients to call the pharmacy or their physician with any questions or concerns they may have.” This can affect driving, self care, and aging in place – all concerns for Triads.
Here are some other tips for safe medication use: - Ask Questions When your Doctor suggests a new medication, learn all you can about it, writing everything down. If an older adult cannot do this with confidence, bring a primary care person to assist with the task. Check this info against the label once the prescription is filled. Ask:
- Why is it being prescribed? What condition, disease or symptom does it treat?
- When can I expect to see an improvement?
- Are there other medications with a similar effect we should consider?
- How should I take it to get the most benefit and minimize side effects? -with a meal or on an empty stomach? -the best time of day? -With a full glass of water? -Other special instructions?
- What side effects might I experience? Does it interact with anything else I'm taking?
- How long should I take it? --Can I stop when the symptoms go away? --Continue taking it until the prescription is gone? --Or is this a maintenance medication I will be taking long term?
- Will I need to have blood work or other testing done periodically to monitor the effect the medication is having? What type of test, why and how often?
- If your Doctor prescribes a new medication to replace an existing one, ask if it impacts your other medications. You may be on medication to manage side effects of the drug being replaced. If so, they may not discontinue anything immediately, but it is an option to discuss with your Doctor once the right dose of the new medication is determined.
- Always have a complete, up to date Personal Medication List* of what you are taking; Over the Counter (OTC) & prescription medications, and vitamins & supplements including:
- Name of the product
- Strength, number of pills per dose, number of doses per day and when to take it
- Date you started it (and dates of any change in dose, when you take it, etc.)
- Attached to the list, keep a copy of the info learned above when you talk to your Doctor (how, why & how long you should take it, possible interactions, side effects, monitoring etc.)
- Name and contact information for:
- patient (include allergies & medical conditions)
- caregiver/family member, the person with their Power of Attorney, emergency contact
- each prescribing Physician and the dispensing Pharmacy
- Always have extra copies of the Personal Medication List. Depending on your situation, have:
- extra file copies to take every time you go to the hospital or see a Doctor
- copies for family members/caregivers
- a copy to keep in your purse or pocket and a copy for travel, on file or in your suitcase
- a copy kept at home in an obvious spot (perhaps on the refrigerator, by your bedside or with your medications) in case it's needed by paramedics – see the “File of Life” in the Triad Manual
- Use care when choosing your Pharmacy.
- Always have all your prescriptions filled at the same place. It's tempting to use one place with a $4 generic of one of your medications, a second pharmacy for the others because it's closest to your house and switch to a third giving $30 gift cards with prescription transfers. It's far more important to have one Pharmacy oversee everything and spot problems like allergies & drug interactions.
- Choose a Pharmacy that will add information to your profile on everything you take including OTC drugs, vitamins and supplements, whether you get them from that Pharmacy or not.
- Develop a relationship with one Pharmacist who knows you by name.
- Be sure a Pharmacist is easy to reach and available 24/7 for questions.
- Medication must be taken on time, consistently to be safe & effective. Find a way that works for you:
- Have a friend or relative call you, use a timer* or a service that calls or emails to remind you*
- If you have trouble remembering if you took your pills rather than remembering to take your pills, try using a product that separates and labels each dose* so you can always see the last dose taken.
- The more medications you take the more important it is to keep them organized so you take the right dose of the right pills, the right way, at the right time.
- Keep at risk medications – those that are frequently stolen – in a controlled area away from visitors and family members; see the “Lock Your Meds” Campaign on the National Triad website www.nationaltriad.org.
- Use a medication sorter (usually a plastic pill box divided in sections)
- For those who may have trouble sorting pills, have difficulty handling pills, with memory impairment, or find it a hassle keeping meds straight, another option is a Pharmacy* that packages your medication by dose (called compliance packaging) – Triad suggests the AccuPax product (www.nationaltriad.org) that presorts medications into individual packets, one for each date and for each time of day, based on your doctor’s instructions.
- Some medicines only work or work best if taken regularly to maintain a consistent level in your body. If you skip or forget a dose, you may be cheating yourself out of the full benefit of that medication.
- Splitting pills can save you money, but always check with your Doctor or Pharmacist first. Some medicines (such as those that are time released) are not safe to split or crush.
- Store your medications carefully in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight, humidity and heat.
- Follow all of your Doctors' instructions for taking your medications. If you think you want to change or stop taking one of your medications always talk to your Doctor or Pharmacist first. Some medications may cause serious reactions if stopped abruptly & must be tapered off under a Doctors' care.
- Always consider both OTC & prescription medications and all dietary supplements. Many OTC medicines once required a prescription, and some supplements may have an effect that is similar to a medication. When considering a new OTC drug, vitamin or supplement, first talk to your Doctor or Pharmacist and be sure they have a list of everything you take now. If you know you occasionally use an OTC product like cough medicine or antacids, talk with them ahead of time and find out if there are products or ingredients to avoid. Add the info to your Personal Medication List so it's always handy.
Frequently, the line between Older Adult Care provider, Elder Service Officer, and Law Enforcement Officer becomes blurred. Triad can assist with project such as this by providing ways to facilitate medication control programs and programs to facilitate medication review (by law enforcement officers and first responders). Please review our website www.nationaltriad.org for further information.
*Indicates we can provide links to more info on this topic
Sources: Report Brief, July 06 PREVENTING MEDICATION ERRORS -Institute of Medicine, 6/18/2009 US Pharm. 2009;34(6):Epub, ISMP (Institute for Safe Medication Practices,) Dr. Jerry Gurwitz, Chief of Geriatric Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Center on Aging and Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Women's Health and Aging Study II, The World Health Organization (WHO,) U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services, “Medication Regimens: Causes of Noncompliance” report to Special Committee on Aging, U.S. Senate, Medco Health Solutions, Pharmacy Benefits Manager
Hoosiers can be counted without being conned – learn how to spot a census scam
Completing the 2010 Census form is an important civic responsibility all Hoosiers share. The results impact how $400 billion will be allocated to communities across the country. However, just as the U.S. Census is a tradition Americans have come to expect, so are the census scams attempting to steal money and identities from Americans.
The 2010 Census form is the shortest form in history and it will be delivered by mail or in the case of rural areas, it may be hand-delivered. The 10 Census questions below are the official decennial U.S. Census questions. Any other questions are not a part of the Census and Hoosiers should not answer them. - How many people were living or staying in this house, apartment, or mobile home on April 1, 2010?
- Were there any additional people staying here April 1, 2010 that you did not include in Question 1?
- Is this house, apartment, or mobile home: owned with mortgage, owned without mortgage, rented, occupied without rent?
- What is your telephone number?
- Please provide information for each person living here. Start with a person here who owns or rents this house, apartment, or mobile home. If the owner or renter lives somewhere else, start with any adult living here. This will be Person 1. What is Person 1's name?
- What is Person 1's sex?
- What is Person 1's age and Date of Birth?
- Is Person 1 of Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin?
- What is Person 1's race?
- Does Person 1 sometimes live or stay somewhere else?
Some people may have concerns about the confidentiality of their Census answers. By law, the Census Bureau can’t share your information with anyone — including other federal agencies and law enforcement.
Participation in the 2010 Census is important because every Hoosier counts and every Hoosier should be counted.
For more information, visit www.2010.census.gov.
Seniors get fashion statement about safety
By STEVEN ROSS JOHNSON
ELGIN -- They weren't exactly the typical models seen working the runways of Milan or Paris, and they weren't exactly wearing the latest designs from Prada or Gucci.
Instead, clothes labeled "AT&T" and "Nicor" received the most attention from the 300 or so senior citizens who attended an informational fashion show Thursday at The Centre of Elgin, 100 Symphony Way.
The event, sponsored by the Elgin Township Triad, was designed to help residents properly identify representatives from more than a dozen area companies and agencies to prevent them falling victim to "ruse" scams -- where offenders pose as a utility worker to gain access and keep a resident distracted while a second person burglarizes the home.
The show featured uniformed employees from at least a dozen companies and agencies walking around the stage, to the delight of the crowd, and then answering questions posed by Elgin Deputy Police Chief Jeffrey Swoboda or Kane County Sheriff Pat Perez, who both emceed the event.
"Always be cautious," Perez told the crowd. "Never think you can be too safe."
Some of the questions asked of each representative included "Would there be a reason for an employee to come to enter a home?" and "Where do you park your vehicles?"
The second half of the show focused on what seniors should do if a potential offender already is inside the home.
Self-defense expert Joe Rosner, director of Best Defense of Illinois, stressed that one of the best ways a person can use to get out of trouble is to avoid it in the first place.
"Have a plan before you need it," he said. "Most of you will spend more time planning your next dinner party than planning for your personal safety."
Rosner also recommended having a room in the home that acts as a barricade from an attacker. Breaking glass and yelling for help also are effective, he said.
Overall, the event received a positive response from those present. Elgin resident Connie Bieschke said she thought the presentation provided a good way to illustrate the need to be more aware of who is at their door.
"I think a lot of the seniors needed to see these different outfits," she said. "And knowing whether they will ask for access to our home, I think, is very important."
Elgin Township Triad is a collaboration of Elgin and Kane County law enforcement and senior services providers that informs the elderly about ways to keep themselves safe from crime.
Help Your Community Members Get Financially Fit with FDIC's Money Smart Curriculum
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Go Direct® campaign continue to work together on a national and local level to raise awareness about the value of financial education. With Financial Literacy Month around the corner in April, now is the perfect time to plan your financial literacy programming – the FDIC's Money Smart financial education program makes it easy.
The Money Smart curriculum helps those outside the financial mainstream become more financially fit by developing skills and positive relationships with financial institutions. Since 2006, the curriculum has included Go Direct campaign information and the benefits of direct deposit for federal benefit payments. The adult curriculum contains 10 modules, or workshops, on topics such as managing a checking account and keeping track of your money. Each module provides everything you need to teach the workshop, including a fully-scripted guide for instructors.
Go Direct campaign partners have used the Money Smart curriculum to educate the people they serve about the importance of financial literacy, including banks, credit unions, law enforcement and crime prevention organizations, aging and senior organizations, library systems, and community and disability organizations.
Want to get started planning your workshop? There are two ways to bring the Money Smart curriculum through your doors: For more information on the Money Smart financial education program, call a Go Direct campaign representative at (952) 346-6055 or email GoDirect@webershandwick.com.
CONSUMER PROTECTION WEEK: Steer Clear of Tax Scams
In the wake of the great recession, many Hoosiers are looking for ways to trim their tax bills. People in financial distress are especially vulnerable to the ploys of scammers and as we approach the home stretch of filing season, Attorney General Greg Zoeller is reminding Hoosiers of a few common schemes to avoid.
Phishing
Criminals use internet-based “phishing” tactics to trick unsuspecting victims into revealing bank account information, social security numbers and credit card numbers. Many tax-related phishing scams are convincingly disguised as coming from the IRS, however the IRS never uses e-mail to contact taxpayers about their tax issues.
Return Preparer Fraud
The schemes of dishonest tax return preparers include skimming money from tax returns, charging excessive fees and/or encouraging fraudulent claims on returns. Taxpayers should choose carefully when hiring a tax preparer, especially one who promises something that seems too good to be true.
Economic Stimulus
Some scam artists are taking advantage of the confusion surrounding all the new tax credits and economic stimulus rebates by posing as an IRS agent or tax-preparer to trick taxpayers into revealing personal financial information. The scammers falsely tell their victims they must provide the information to qualify for a tax credit or “rebate.” In most cases, eligible individuals will not have to do anything more than file a 2009 federal tax return to receive the credit.
To report suspected tax fraud, submit Form 3949-A to the IRS. Taxpayers can forward phishing emails to phishing@irs.gov for investigation. Deleting the e-mail after forwarding is recommended. Additionally, a complaint can be filed with your local Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division.
New Report on Improving the Lives of LGBT Older Adults
SAGE (Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Elders) has released a new report on the financial and social inequities faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) older adults.
"Improving the Lives of LGBT Older Adults" is co-authored by SAGE and the LGBT Movement Advancement Project. Partners in the project include the Center for American Progress, the American Society on Aging, and the National Senior Citizens Law Center.
It is available on the SAGE Website, www.sageusa.org
April Is Financial Literacy Month - Learn About Go Direct
Millions of Americans get their monthly payments through paper checks, despite the risk of delays, loss or theft. That’s why it’s so important that we, as Aging Network providers, alert older people about opportunities to switch to electronic payments for their monthly benefits checks. With this simple, smart step, they can help protect their money and improve their financial health.
Senior citizens, people with disabilities and others who receive federal benefits, can sign up for direct deposit by calling the Go Direct campaign helpline at (800) 333-1795 or visiting www.GoDirect.org
To sign up for the Treasury-recommended Direct Express® Debit Mastercard® card, or to learn about fees and features, call (800) 212-9991 or visit www.USDirectExpress.com
More information and free materials are available to help you spread the word at www.GoDirect.org. Let’s help the seniors in our community get on the path toward financial health. Get involved today!
Recession is fueling a boom in insurance fraud
By Tony Pugh | McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON — The sour economy is producing a bumper crop of cash-strapped consumers, business owners and shady agents who're fueling a wave of insurance fraud that's keeping regulators and law enforcement officials busy from coast to coast.
Whether it's worthless health plans peddled by fax, staged auto accidents, arson or slip-and-fall accidents at the local mall, insurance fraud of all kinds is booming in the recession and consumers are paying the price in higher premiums.
To keep it in perspective, roughly 48 million insurance claims are made each year in the U.S. and less than one-quarter of 1 percent are referred to the nonprofit National Insurance Crime Bureau for investigation of possible fraud.
Last year, that amounted to just more than 85,000 questionable claims. That was up 14 percent from nearly 75,000 in 2008, however.
A recent survey of 37 state insurance-fraud bureaus by the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud found that the recession "appears to have had a significant impact on the incidence of fraud" last year. On average, the bureaus reported increases in case referrals and new investigations in all 15 categories of fraud the survey covers.
Leading the way was the sale of bogus health insurance plans, with 38 percent of bureaus reporting a "much higher" increase over 2008.
With some 50 million uninsured Americans and growing confusion about the health care debate, state insurance regulators have their hands full keeping up with scam artists. In recent months, more than dozen states have put out consumer alerts or issued fines and cease-and-desist orders against unregistered firms offering worthless plans or deceptively marketing plans with limited benefits as full-coverage insurance.
Some of the bogus plans turn out to be discount cards that provide only slight price breaks on services such as prescriptions or X-rays. Many are advertised on television and the Internet, but most are marketed through junk faxes that are sent to businesses, government offices and homes.
One recent fax reads "Congress to pass reform act. In preparation for the new health care model, our company now offers creditable coverage plans" with 80 percent coverage on prescriptions, diagnostic, X-ray and lab work for only $368 a month, or $4,416 a year for a family policy.
Not a bad deal, considering the average annual price for standard family coverage exceeds $13,000, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. For those who are jobless, uninsured and unable to afford COBRA health coverage, these offers seem too good pass up.
"So here you have people in desperate circumstances, and they're getting these faxes that are promising them the moon and complete coverage at low costs and they want to believe, so they buy it. But it's just a scam. It's a total scam. It's just a maddening, frustrating, unfortunate circumstance," Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland said.
Last August, the state of New York fined the American Medical and Life Insurance Co. $700,000 and barred it from selling limited-benefit plans in New York after numerous complaints from consumers.
In one instance, a Rochester woman bought an American Medical plan, paying $419 a month in premiums. When her hospital bills totaled nearly $28,000, the policy paid only $1,164 of her bill, state officials said. A 36-year-old man who suffered a stroke had a similar experience when his plan paid only $250 toward his $30,000-plus hospital bill, state officials said. The company eventually paid in full after the state insurance department got involved.
John Ollis, the president of the American Medical and Life Insurance Co., said independent agents who sold the policies didn't properly explain their benefits. Ollis said the company agreed with state officials that the policyholders wouldn't have bought the plans if they'd known of the coverage limitations.
State officials are reviewing a company proposal to retrain its agents and to comply with other state rules. If it's approved, the company can resume sales of limited-benefit plans in New York, Ollis said.
Oklahoma is one of 20 states that have taken action or are moving to stop one of the biggest national providers of these policies, a company known as the American Trade Association. Headquartered in Tennessee, ATA has taken in about $14 million in premiums across the country from about 12,000 people, Holland said.
Typically, policyholders don't realize they have worthless or inadequate coverage until they submit claims. The company does business in numerous states under a variety of monikers, including Serve America Assurance and Smart Data Solutions.
"They change their name and face when regulators get close," Holland said.
Recently, ATA sued two South Carolina companies in federal court in Tennessee, claiming the firms were to blame for failing to secure insurance for ATA members.
An ATA attorney in Memphis, Tenn., declined to comment.
Frank Scafidi, a spokesman for the National Insurance Crime Bureau, said there were no empirical data to validate the theory that the economy was spurring more insurance fraud.
He said, however, that when gasoline prices began to spike several years ago, so did the number of automobile "give-ups," in which owners fraudulently report their vehicles as stolen or destroyed in order to collect on the insurance. Many of the abandoned vehicles were gas-guzzling SUVs and pickup trucks, Scafidi said.
In the absence of more hard data, however, the survey of state insurance-fraud bureaus is notable. As the recession raged last year, 68 percent of states surveyed by the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud also reported an increase in auto "give-ups" as job losses made it hard for many people to keep up with their payments.
Some owners put their vehicles into lakes or rivers and report them stolen. Others may be less creative.
When creditors came looking for Elizabeth Layton's tractor in January, she allegedly claimed that it was stolen. However, information in an unrelated burglary investigation revealed that the vehicle was in a garage on a nearby farm. Layton, of Laurens, N.Y., faces charges of grand theft, insurance fraud and false reporting.
Insurance agents appear to be a big part of the fraud problem, with 69 percent of states citing an increase in agent fraud.
Former insurance agent Emil Feduniec, 52, of Tuckahoe, N.Y., was arrested in February, accused of failing to make payments on two policies while collecting more than $15,000 in commercial property insurance premiums in 2008 and 2009. The two policies ended up being canceled for nonpayment, but not before one of the property owners paid $25,000 for roof damages to a structure that Feduniec allegedly failed to insure. If he's convicted on grand larceny charges, Feduniec faces up to seven years in prison.
Roofers were some of the worst insurance scammers last year.
According to the insurance crime bureau, the number of questionable claims for hail damage spiked more than 200 percent, from 256 in 2008 to 772 last year.
Roofers, like other general contractors, suffered through a dismal 2009 as homeowners, unwilling to tap their depleted equity, put off repairs.
"We have seen more questionable claims in the area of hail damage where unscrupulous roofing companies take advantage of storms to fake or deliberately cause damage to roofs," said Joe Wehrle, the president of the insurance crime bureau.
Scott Morrison, an expert in hail roof damage with Haag Engineering of Dallas, said homeowners were more likely to be the culprits. They try to simulate hail damage by striking the roofs with ball-peen hammers or golf balls inside socks or even by twisting quarters into asphalt shingles.
The scams often unravel when cotton and nylon fibers from the socks are left in the shingles. Morrison said that striations left in the tiles from quarters or dimes also were visible.
Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/11/90233/recession-is-fueling-a-boom-in.html#ixzz0i05SI8Ds
Criminal Victimization in the United States, 2007 - Statistical Tables
Criminal Victimization in the United States, 2007 - Statistical Tables present detailed data on major variables measured by the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). Topics covered include: - crimes of violence (rape, gender, sexual assault, robbery, assault) and theft (pocket picking, purse snatching, burglary, theft, and motor vehicle theft), with data on victim characteristics (gender, age, race, ethnicity, marital status, income, and residence)
- crime characteristics (time and place of occurrence, distance from home, weapon use, self-protection, injury, medical care, economic loss, and time lost from work)
- victim-offender relationship
- victims' perceptions of substance use by offenders and of offender characteristics (age, race, and gender)
- whether crimes were reported to the police and reasons why
- police response time for reported crimes.
"Criminal Victimization in the United States, 2007 - Statistical Tables" (NCJ 227669, 133 pp.) presents detailed data on major variables measured by the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). (BJS)
PRESCRIPTION DRUG TURN-IN DAY A MAJOR SUCCESS. FINAL TALLY EXPECTED TO REACH TWO TONS OF DRUGS!
Contact: Pete Schulberg 503-244-5211
(Portland, OR) The statewide Prescription Drug Turn-In Day last Saturday is being called a rousing success by organizers as a result of record amounts of prescription drugs collected at some thirty sites. Although the amount of drugs being disposed of continues to be tallied, organizers believe that about two tons of pills, tablets, and other drugs have been turned in. The event was coordinated by the Oregon Medical Association Alliance, Community Action to Reduce Substance Abuse (CARSA) and Oregon Partnership. “Thanks to community involvement throughout the state, the event was more successful than we ever thought it would be,” said Leanna Lindquist, President of the Oregon Medical Association Alliance. “Prescription drug abuse and the safe disposal of unused drugs are increasingly on the radar of Oregonians.”
Some sites received a steady stream of participants during the day. And the drugs collected ran the gamut - from a prescription dated 1936 to liquid morphine. A photo from the Astoria site is at the end of this email. At the Portland site, almost 3,000 tablets of controlled substance medication were
turned in with an estimated street value of $57,000. In Hillsboro, 882 bottles of prescription drugs and 489 bottles on non-prescription
drugs were collected.
While individual communities have sponsored similar turn-in events, this was the first statewide effort of its kind, hoping to attract thousands of people and increase awareness about the disposal of potentially dangerous and addictive drugs. The US Geological Survey and Oregon DEQ water quality samplings have found trace amounts of pharmaceuticals in Oregon’s surface water, and focused studies have found pharmaceuticals in groundwater. Flushing unwanted drugs down the toilet - - at households, hospice and palliative care providers and long term care facilities - - are one way drugs reach wastewater treatment plants.
Today, the average American takes more than 12 different prescription drugs each year - - more than 3.8 billion prescriptions purchased annually, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. One recent survey estimated the amount of wasted drugs is as high as 45 percent. Oregon ranks among the top states for non-medical use of pain relievers among 12- 17 year olds. Teens say prescription drugs are widely available from an array of sources, including their homes, friends and relatives.
Locking your meds is a household strategy that is gaining more popularity, as parents realize that most teens who abuse prescription drugs acquire them from medicine cabinets at the homes of parents, relatives, or friends. Young people often perceive prescription drugs to be safer than illicit drugs to get high, leading them to casually share these drugs with friends. These include painkillers (OxyContin), depressants (Xanax) and stimulants (Adderall and Ritalin). More teens abuse prescription drugs than cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine combined. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), prescription drug abuse is higher among 18-25 year olds than in any other age group. Although the use of tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs among youth has declined from 2002 through 2008, over this time many teens have turned to misusing prescription drugs, according to SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
In fact, prescription drugs are misused more by this age group than any illicit drug, except marijuana. The nonmedical use of these medicines—the same drugs used to legitimately relieve pain, and treat conditions like anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, or ADHD in some people—is a growing and under-recognized problem that puts young lives at risk
Elder Abuse Task Force begins campaign for area seniors
Tote bags contain wealth of local resources
By Dave Choate
dchoate@seacoastonline.com
February 19, 2010 2:00 AM
ELIOT, Maine — Earlier this year, the York County Elder Abuse Task Force kicked off a campaign to provide information and resources to the county's senior citizens, and it took the form of HOME.
The presentation of a tote bag containing information for seniors occurred in January at the Eliot Police Department, and is the culmination of a year-long effort to find the best way to get information on important resources to local senior citizens. HOME stands for Helping Our Maine Elders, and came from a suggestion by YCEATF member Karen Connolly's father, Robert Harris, who explained his rationale to Connolly.
"Home is where everyone wants to be," Connolly quoted her father as saying. "If you can't be home, you want a bag with things from home in it, to hold close until you get home again."
The group collected material on a range of topics, ranging from health and legal information to safety around the home, and used it to stuff the totes. The effort was funded in large part by donations of businesses and at least one fund-raiser, according to the YCEATF.
Blodgett, Cousins to take part in Middleton triad bylaws signing
By Staff reports Tri-Town Transcript
Middleton — Essex District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett will join Essex County Sheriff Frank G. Cousins Jr. and other town officials at the Middleton Triad bylaws signing at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 31, at the Middleton Senior Center, at 38 Maple St.
Thirty-one of the 34 cities and towns in Essex County are currently involved in the Triad Program. The mission of the Triad Council is to develop and implement policies and programs to reduce criminal victimization, promote crime prevention and safety awareness and serve the needs of the senior community. Members of the Council include representatives from the Sheriff’s Department, District Attorney’s Office, local police and fire departments, Housing Authority, Council on Aging, and senior citizens from the community.
Triad safety programs, which are free of charge, include the File of Life, Yellow Dot, Senior Photo I.D.’s, Housing number programs, and ICE stickers for cell phones. Through a speaker series, the Triad Councils also address issues including elder abuse, proper financial planning, identity theft and scams, and the proper disposal of prescription drugs.
“It is important during these difficult economic times to pool our resources to do everything we can to keep our senior citizens safe,” Blodgett said. “The Triad Councils help reach out to our seniors and provide them with programs to help them feel safe in their homes and communities.”
The Triad Council meets once a month at the Middleton Senior Center and welcomes new members.
For information contact the Middleton Senior Center at 978-777-4067, or Debbie MacGregor at the District Attorney’s Office at 978-745-6610 ext. 5081.
Copyright 2010 Wicked Local Topsfield. Some rights reserved
Despite probe, prescription drug abuse worsening, authorities say
By Jerry Markon
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Donna M. George was a grandmother living in a gated community in Fredericksburg when she sold prescription drugs out of her kitchen -- while babysitting for her three grandchildren.
Witnesses at George's trial said she repeatedly sold them Percocet, methadone and oxycodone. Her grandchildren, 3, 5 and an infant, were watching television less than 20 feet away. "I have kids of my own, so it kind of made me real nervous," testified one witness, Patrick Barber. "But she acted like nothing was even going on."
George's conviction in January for drug distribution was part of a federal crackdown that is the largest investigation of prescription drug abuse in U.S. history. Since 2002, the U.S. attorney's office in Alexandria has convicted 170 people of selling, prescribing or ingesting painkillers, with 10 more scheduled to plead guilty in coming weeks.
The investigation, dubbed Operation Cotton Candy, has snared seven doctors, 11 nurses and a county prosecutor. One doctor pleaded guilty to demanding sex for drugs; a nurse shot up Dilaudid outside an emergency room. Another defendant burned down her flower shop to get insurance proceeds for pills.
Yet for all the effort, prescription drug abuse continues to worsen in Northern Virginia and throughout the Washington region as demand for painkillers rises among teenagers and others, according to federal and local investigators.
"We're seeing remarkable increases in Percocets sold on the street, a tremendous increase in Vicodin. Oxy is off the charts," said Loudoun County Sheriff's Deputy Cuno Andersen, a member of the Cotton Candy task force.
The investigation has been criticized by patient advocates, who say Cotton Candy targets doctors prescribing legal drugs to people in chronic pain. Some question whether the eight-year probe -- which has involved more than 50 prosecutors and employs 15 to 20 full-time FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration agents and Northern Virginia police officers -- is worth the time.
"It's an enormous waste of government resources," said Ronald T. Libby, a University of North Florida political science professor and author of "The Criminalization of Medicine: America's War on Doctors." He argued that law enforcement "can't make a case for any kind of prescription drug epidemic."
Prosecutors strongly defend their work, saying they reacted to a growing problem and have taken millions of illicit pills off Northern Virginia streets, raising the black market price of the most powerful 80-milligram OxyContin pill from $40 a decade ago to $65 to $75 today. But officials cannot point to any evidence that prescription drugs are a bigger problem here than elsewhere.
Still, Northern Virginia has become the epicenter of the national crackdown on narcotic painkillers because it has an especially aggressive prosecutor's office. Among the most relentless in that office is Gene Rossi, a 21-year veteran who has overseen Cotton Candy through five U.S. attorneys.
"We're not aware of any prescription drugs investigation in other districts that begins to approach this level of scope and effort," said U.S. Attorney Neil H. MacBride. "We believe we've made a dent in the problem in this area. The word is out in the medical community."
The effort is getting stronger. The DEA's Washington division recently created a squad focusing on prescription drugs, and the Alexandria probe is intensifying its focus on new avenues: dealers who create phony prescriptions and who "doctor shop" to get pills from multiple physicians. George was involved in both.
'The Devil'
Peddling pain pills is highly profitable. Insurance plans pay out billions for prescription drugs, which dealers can sell at a huge markup with little physical risk or overhead. And they are dangerously addictive -- more so, users say, than street drugs such as heroin.
"You can't function without it, and you'll do literally anything you can to get it," said Robert Woodson, a recovered addict who made $30,000 to $60,000 a month selling OxyContin before being convicted in a Cotton Candy case in 2004. He calls the drug "the Devil."
Investigators say prescription painkillers are especially dangerous because increasing numbers of teenagers consider them cool -- and are not aware of how addictive they are.
"It's behind a medicine cabinet or a pharmacy counter, so kids believe it's safe," said Ava Cooper-Davis, special agent in charge of the DEA's Washington division, which covers the District, Maryland and Northern Virginia.
Although such drugs as Dilaudid had long been a concern, investigators say the problem escalated after OxyContin came on the market in 1996. Addicts were getting pills in Northern Virginia and selling them here and in southwestern Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee, triggering an epidemic in Appalachia.
FBI and DEA agents approached prosecutors in Alexandria, and Cotton Candy was born.
The investigation initially focused on pharmacists and doctors, especially William E. Hurwitz, a nationally prominent McLean pain specialist. Prosecutors say his conviction for narcotics trafficking -- he prescribed 1,200 oxycodone pills a day to a single patient -- vastly reduced the supply of illicit painkillers.
With Hurwitz and other doctors unable to prescribe, prosecutors turned to what they call the new way to get pills: generating and filling phony prescriptions and deceiving multiple doctors into filling prescriptions for a single patient.
More than 30 states have monitoring programs to prevent doctor shopping. Virginia's program began statewide in 2006, but only 10 percent of the state's licensed doctors and pharmacists participate, and the database -- which contains detailed prescription information -- didn't go online until October.
George, the 47-year-old Fredericksburg grandmother, "is the avant garde of what the problem now is," said one federal law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity because George will not be sentenced until April 23. She faces up to 20 years in prison.
An attorney for George, Charles Burnham, declined to comment.
'Just didn't look right'
The trail to George began with an alert pharmacist in Fauquier County who called Loudoun County's Andersen in September 2007 and said a prescription for OxyContin "just didn't look right," Andersen recalled. The deputy, a former Richmond EMS worker, realized it was fraudulent -- the doctor's phone number, supposedly in Richmond, was not a Richmond exchange.
The prescription was written for Cindy Carter, George's daughter.
Andersen called the FBI, and nine days later, agents raided Carter's Prince William County townhouse and the Stafford County home of Richard and Lisa Sindelar.
Investigators determined that the couple and Richard's brother, John Sindelar, were using a computer template to create fake prescriptions. They would type in a real doctor's name and DEA numbers and the name of a nonexistent clinic, the Virginia Pain Institute.
The phone number at the top was for a prepaid cellphone. If the pharmacy called with a question, the Sindelars would answer. The computers they used for the scheme, investigators said, included one at a public library and another at a Virginia unemployment office.
The Sindelars pleaded guilty in 2008 in U.S. District Court in Alexandria and are serving prison terms ranging from 20 months to five years.
An affidavit, signed by FBI Special Agent Andrew B. Lenhart and filed in court, said George acted as a street-level distributor for the Sindelars, buying the OxyContin and other pills generated by their phony prescriptions and selling them for a large profit.
She obtained other drugs from up to five doctors because of a back injury -- and sold them out of her one-story, single-family patio home, in the parking lots of a Target and a bank, and in the aisles of a Chantilly gun shop, according to court testimony and investigators.
"She was doing this for a long time and kind of stayed under the radar," one federal investigator said. "Her house was clean and well-kept, and she drove a Ford Focus. She looked like a regular person."
Phishing for Treasure
The Indiana Attorney General’s Unclaimed Property Program reunites Hoosiers with millions of dollars worth of unclaimed property each year. While unclaimed property locators or "finders" can help reunite you with unclaimed assets, they charge a fee. The Attorney General’s program is free and easy to use - you can search for and claim your money online at www.IndianaUnclaimed.com.
Unfortunately there are scammers posing as finders and state government agencies attempting to cash in on your hidden treasure. If you receive unsolicited correspondence requesting personal information or money, it may be a “phishing” expedition. Responding could make you vulnerable to identity theft.
To check the legitimacy of correspondence regarding unclaimed property, you may contact the Attorney General’s Unclaimed Property Division or you may report scams to the Consumer Protection Division at www.IndianaConsumer.com or by calling 1-800-382-5516.
U.S. To Offer Suspicious Activity Report Training Nationwide
The federal program to standardize “suspicious activity reports” (SAR) is being taken nationwide. The Justice Department announced last week in New Orleans at the National Fusion Center annual conference that the program would be expanded to all 72 fusion centers, involving federal, state, and local law enforcement, by the end of fiscal year 2012. Previously, the program had been tested a few locations. The program’s director will be Thomas O’Reilly of the Bureau of Justice Assistance, who has been overseeing the test phase. A fusion center program office is being established in the Department of Homeland Security under Bart Johnson, Deputy Undersecretary for Intelligence and Analysis in DHS.
The decision means that training will be offered to all law enforcement agencies in the U.S. on how police officers should recognize the signs of possible terrorist activity and report them correctly to a national database. O’Reilly said that better reporting has been instrumental in responding to terror threats in New York, Florida, California, and Virginia. Details remain confidential. As previously reported by Crime & Justice News, current SAR test sites of Florida, New York, and Virginia and a few major cities, including Los Angeles, is due to expand soon to Alabama, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, along with Dallas, Kansas City, and Savannah, Ga. O’Reilly called the program a low-cost one, involving $35,000 at each site.
Seniors playing it safe after Stoughton slaying
Ed Melanson of Stoughton said he is cautious about answering the door when a stranger knocks. Melanson and other seniors visiting the Stoughton Council on Aging on Monday discussed the weekend stabbing of an elderly couple.
By Maria Papadopoulos ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
STOUGHTON — If a stranger comes to Ed Melanson’s door, he won’t open it.
That would be too risky, the 72-year-old Stoughton resident said.
“If I don’t know them, I just leave the screen locked, until I know who it is,” Melanson said while playing cards with friends at the Stoughton Council on Aging on Monday afternoon.
He is among area seniors who are being more cautious after an elderly couple was stabbed in a fatal attack inside their Stoughton home on Saturday morning. A Randolph man has been charged in the attack.
Georgios Kontsas, 78, died while saving his wife from a knife-wielding attacker inside their Mara Circle home. His 74-year-old wife, Dorothea, escaped from the attack with stab wounds to her neck.
John M. Rooney, 46, of Randolph, has been charged with murder, armed assault to murder a person over age 60, home invasion, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon on a person over 60 and armed assault in a dwelling.
Rooney, who pleaded not guilty to the charges in Stoughton District Court on Monday, was ordered held without bail. He is due back in court March 29.
During the attack, Rooney claimed to know both Georgios Kontsas and his son, Alex, Norfolk Assistant District Attorney Brian Wilson said in court. But Wilson did not comment on their possible connection.
Mentioning their son’s name, Rooney allegedly talked his way into the foyer of the Kontsas home, then started stabbing Dorothea Kontsas, and her husband rushed to her aid, suffering fatal wounds, the prosecutor said.
Authorities are warning local seniors to be vigilant in their surroundings.
“They need to know who is on the other side of the door,” Brockton Police Chief William Conlon said.
In 2008, more than half of persons aged 65 or older and not living in an institution – nearly 20 million Americans – lived with their spouse, according to the federal Administration on Aging.
Nearly one-third of Americans aged 65 or older and not living in an institution, or 11.2 million people, lived alone in 2008, the administration found.
Seniors “are particularly vulnerable just because of their physical capacities that can be easily overpowered by a much younger person,” Conlon said.
There are precautions seniors can take to stay safe at home, Conlon said: Install alarm systems that can warn seniors if a window or door is opened, and potentially scare off intruders.
Ask visitors from service companies or health care agencies to show their identification through a window, and before opening the door. If the person looks suspicious, do not let them in. Call the police.
Clear shrubs outside so they do not obstruct views of windows or doors, allowing intruders to go undetected.
Install deadbolt locks on doors to give added protection from a potential intruder.
Make sure your house has adequate outdoor lighting at night.
Dorothy Puliafico of Brockton said she installed an alarm system in her home about five years ago – after her neighbor chased away an intruder who was trying to break in through a window one night, while she was at home.
“I was so scared, so believe me, I put in an alarm system after that,” said Puliafico, 79.
Having the alarm gives her peace of mind, Puliafico said.
“(Alarm company employees) call you right away. They stay on the phone with you. That gives you a sense of relief,” she said.
The Easton Council on Aging has a Triad group that meets monthly to discuss senior safety, said Dolores Kent, center director.
Easton Triad is a cooperative group formed by the Easton Police Department, Bristol County Sheriff’s Department and local senior citizens.
Brockton also has a Triad group that meets regularly, said Anne McCormack, director of the Brockton Council on Aging.
“Information keeps (seniors) from that panic mode, as long as they know there are things they can do to protect themselves,” McCormack said.
Safety was on the minds of seniors during coffee hour at the Stoughton Council on Aging Monday morning, officials said.
“We talked about safety and many different factors, getting power of attorney you can trust, health care proxies you can trust,” said center director Karen Hall.
A day before the attack, Dorothea Kontsas went to the center for her regular exercise class, said Robin Cardoza, program assistant at the Stoughton Council on Aging.
“It was a real shock to everybody,” said Cardoza, 48, of Stoughton. “She’s been coming here for a couple of years.”
Maria Papadopoulos may be reached at mpapadopoulos@enterprisenews.com.
Top Five Data Security Questions Consumers Need to Ask
(San Diego, CA) The Identity Theft Resource Center has been recording data breaches for five years and publishing the ITRC Breach Report since 2007. ITRC reports have documented 2,079 publicized breach incidents involving 472.6 million records during that time (2005-2009). This mind boggling number of exposed records is certainly not the total story, as about 50 percent of the publicized breaches will not state the number of records involved. In addition, we are aware of breaches which are not reported publicly at all.
In the course of our lifetime, our “personal identifying information (PII)” is shared with hundreds of companies, governmental agencies, educational facilities, businesses and health care providers. Social Security Numbers, account numbers, birthdates, and other identifiers are diffused into thousands of data bases, each with its own risk of exposing our PII.
Data breaches, the inadvertent or malicious exposure of our sensitive personal information, are a fact of modern life as evidenced by the one-half billion known records exposed during the past five years. The harsh reality is that our personal information is simply available in too many places to ensure a high level of security over a long period of time. Additionally, too many people have access to our information. One might be astonished to discover how many eyes have access to a document with PII from the moment it enters the building to the time it leaves the company and beyond. If someone can see it, they can steal it.
So what can a consumer do to minimize their risk in these areas which are beyond our control? Ask the following questions: - Why do you need my Social Security number?
- What will happen if I don’t provide it?
- Is there an alternative identifier you can use instead?
- How is it going to be used?
- Do you have published policies about data protection?
Depending on the answers, you may have a decision to make. Continue with that company or find one that will provide acceptable answers.
Businesses have both an ethical and legal responsibility to protect personal identifying information and control access to such information. Businesses should clearly identify the need to collect sensitive personal information and ensure those within a company, who access this information, have a recognized need for such access. Red Flag rules and other regulations will help this situation. However, consumers need to make the case with businesses that data protection is a critical issue. This point can be made by alerting businesses that access to an individual’s SSN should never be taken lightly.
About the ITRC
The Identity Theft Resource Center® (ITRC) is a non-profit organization established to support victims of identity theft in resolving their cases, and to broaden public education and awareness in the understanding of identity theft. It is the on-going mission of the ITRC to assist victims, educate consumers, research identity theft and increase public and corporate awareness about this problem. Visit www.idtheftcenter.org. Victims may contact the ITRC at 888-400-5530.
Contact: Karen Barney Karen@idtheftcenter.org 858-444-3286 Cell (619) 405-4360
AC TRIAD to Meet
Staff Reports
The Arizona City TRIAD
What is TRIAD?
The TRIAD is a program that was designed in cooperation with the Sheriff’s Office, local police departments, the Pinal County Attorney’s Office, Pinal/Gila Council for Senior Citizens and the senior citizens in the local communities. It is designed to prevent victimization of seniors and to improve their quality of life. Local TRIADs are established throughout the county to work on senior issues which exists in each area.
The Arizona City TRIAD, one of eight chapters in Pinal County, is a free program for community seniors jointly sponsored by the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office and the Pinal County Attorney’s Office. TRIAD’s goals are to build a safer and more senior friendly community by helping seniors develop various safety, awareness and educational programs. TRIAD provides a seemingly endless array of valuable services, informational programs and life-saving resources to seniors and other members of the community.
Local volunteers are always needed. You can make a difference in your community by assisting other seniors who may be home bound or are just unable to take care of everyday tasks that most of us take for granted.
TRIAD volunteers serve as “good morning how are you” callers, help elderly residents with simple handyman tasks and help distribute emergency 911 cell phones.
Emergency Access Program
The Emergency Access Program is a program designed to help law enforcement, fire personnel, and medical personnel gain access to your residence when there is a medical emergency. The Emergency Access Program is a lock box that is installed on the outside of your residence with a locking device with a combination touch pad with a spare key to your house. In the case of an emergency, a law enforcement officer can call the main dispatch office in your area and obtain the combination to the lock box with the spare key to let in fire and medical personnel without causing damage to your home to gain entry. These combinations are kept extremely confidential and are only available to law enforcement officers.
Home Alone Phone Kits
Home Alone Phone Kits are provided by the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office and the Pinal County Attorney’s Office. The Home Alone Kits are an emergency device that is programmed to your home telephone that will dial 911 if the pendant that you wear around your neck is activated by pushing a button.
The purpose of this system is so that if you fall and can’t get up, you have a way to call for emergency personnel to respond to your address. The pendant that you wear around your neck is waterproof so that you are able to feel safe and secure while in the bath or shower. If the pendant around your neck is activated it automatically dials 911 from your home phone to emergency dispatch personnel so that they can respond to your home.
The cost for the systems is a one-time fee of $50. The Sheriff’s Office and County Attorney’s Office have volunteers that will install your system at no additional charge. There are no monthly fees or service charges.
The Home Alone devices are great to have for your safety if you live alone, have medial problems, or just want to feel safe while moving about your house. This is a program geared for elderly people or people with medical conditions.
| |
