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Frequently asked questions about elder abuseElder Abuse NetworkPosted Jul 08, 2009 @ 12:00 AM What is elder abuse? Elder abuse is a term referring to any negligent act by a caregiver or any other person that causes harm or a serious risk of harm to a vulnerable older adult. Illinois law defines abuse, neglect and exploitation as:
What makes an older adult vulnerable to abuse? Social isolation and mental impairment (such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease) are two factors that may make an older adult more vulnerable to abuse. But, in some situations, studies show that living with someone else (a caregiver or a friend) may increase the chances for abuse to occur. A history of domestic violence may also make an older adult more susceptible to abuse. Who are the abusers of older adults? Abusers of older adults are both women and men. Family members are more often the abusers than any other group. Data show that adult children were the most common abusers. Are there criminal penalties for the abusers? Illinois has increased penalties for those who victimize older adults. Increasingly, across the country, law enforcement officers and prosecutors are trained on elder abuse and ways to use criminal and civil laws to bring abusers to justice. How many people are suffering from elder abuse? It’s difficult to say how many older Americans are abused, neglected or exploited, in large part because surveillance is limited and the problem remains greatly hidden. Findings from the often cited National Elder Abuse Incidence Study suggest that more than 500,000 Americans 60 and over were victims of domestic abuse in 1996. This study also found that only 16 percent of the abusive situations are referred for help — 84 percent remain hidden. How does a person make an elder abuse report? Anyone who suspects that an older adult is being mistreated should call the Department on Aging elder abuse hotline at (866) 800-1409 (Voice) or (888) 206-1327 (TTY). You also may call your local elder abuse provider agency. To find a local provider visit www.state.il.us/aging/1directory/elder_abuse.pdf. Elder abuse and neglect program services are provided through local agencies that are designated by the Area Agency on Aging and the Department on Aging. All elder abuse caseworkers are trained and certified by the department What agencies respond to elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation? Illinois Department on Aging Statewide Elder Abuse Hotline (866) 800-1409 (Voice) (888) 206-1327 (TTY) The Elder Abuse Hotline in Illinois can be accessed in-state and out-of-state. Nationwide, you can reach the elder care locator at (800) 677-1116. Specially trained operators will refer you to a local agency for help. The elder care locator is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Time. How can elder abuse be prevented? Educating seniors, professionals, caregivers and the public on abuse is critical to prevention. On an individual level keeping safe includes:
National Advocacy Learning CenterFor over 30 years, thousands of advocates and advocacy programs around the country have worked to protect survivors of sexual and domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, prostitution, and human trafficking. Today, I am pleased to announce the opening of the national Advocacy Learning Center--a two-year course, designed by a multi-disciplinary team of advocates, that will inform how we engage and work with survivors, and how we strategize and act to change responses to violence against women.Supported with OVW funding, Praxis International and Manavi invite advocates affiliated with OVW grantees to participate in an integrated and comprehensive, 24-month program that participants will start and complete together. Advocates from national, state, local, and tribal coalitions alike are welcome to apply. There is no charge for the course, but participating organizations are asked to fund travel costs for the entire team for three events over two years. OVW funds can be used for travel costs or the Advocacy Learning Center can subsidize travel for teams in need. Praxis International is now accepting applications for the first class beginning in September 2009. For more information on course content, schedule, requirements, cost, accessibility or how to apply, please visit http://praxisinternational.org/pages/alc/alc.asp or contact Praxis at advocacy@praxisinternational.org. OVW is proud to sponsor the Advocacy Learning Center to provide comprehensive education, tools, and resources to develop more effective advocacy in our communities. Together, we can continue to strengthen our efforts to support victim-survivors and to support advocates as vital forces in ending violence against women. Letter from CheckMark Vehicle Safety Services to NSA Members CheckMark Vehicle Safety Services is looking to hire retired CVSA Level 1 Certified Inspectors For more information contact CheckMark directly by calling Mr. Paul Tamburelli at 602.999.3709 or Mr. Dennis Paul at 703.626.2266. Midland banker's suspicion thwarts $25,000 scam of 80-year-oldPaul Egan / The Detroit NewsA Midland bank manager took customer service to a new height when he followed an elderly woman who withdrew $25,000 and helped bust an alleged fraud artist, officials said Monday. Carl Ahearn, manager of the main branch of Chemical Bank in downtown Midland, became concerned when 80-year-old Marion Case made the large cash withdrawal last December. Case told Ahearn she was taking the cash to a friend, who was going to fly to Oklahoma and give it to her son. But Ahearn remained suspicious. He followed her as she walked to the nearby post office, where Case bought an Express Mail envelope addressed to a man in New Jersey. Ahearn shared his concerns with postal officials, who opened an investigation and arrested a man Monday for fraud. "We have long-term relationships with a lot of our customers," Ahearn said Monday. "We know what they do and what they wouldn't normally do." Case had been the victim of a phone scam in which she was told she had won nearly $1 million in a sweepstakes but had to pay certain "processing fees," according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Bay City. The $25,000 she sent that day was on top of $25,775 she had already sent since she was targeted a month earlier. Elan Saraf, 45, of Newark, N.J., a flight attendant with Continental Airlines, was arrested Monday and charged with mail fraud as he landed in New Jersey on an international flight. Two other current or former Continental flight attendants are identified as having been involved in the alleged fraud, but have not been accused of wrongdoing. "The investigation is still ongoing and the case has the potential to be much larger," said Wylie Christopher, a spokesman for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Detroit. "We're just grateful that citizens are willing to go above and beyond to make sure those who do things wrong pay for their actions." Case addressed her Express Mail package to Ron Robinson, a former Continental flight attendant who rents a Newark apartment building and "receives large amounts of Express Mail packages from people all over the world," according to an affidavit attached to the complaint. The envelope full of cash was picked up by a third Continental flight attendant, David McQueen, the affidavit said. He told investigators Robinson called him and asked him to pick up the package and give it to Saraf, the affidavit said. Investigators watched McQueen deliver the package to Saraf. Julie King, a spokeswoman for Continental, said the airline does not comment on personnel matters but is cooperating with investigators. A search of public records shows a Ronald C. Robinson, 50, listed at the Newark address. He could not be reached for comment. Shown living in another apartment at the same address is David W. McQueen, 49, who also could not be reached. Case, who declined to be interviewed, has not gotten her $25,000 back, but she will. For now, "it's in our custody" as potential evidence, Christopher said. It's not clear whether Case will recover the cash she sent earlier, he said. Ahearn and other bank officials would not discuss specifics of the case, citing bank privacy laws. The details were spelled out in the federal complaint. "We do train all of our employees ... in recognizing signs of suspicious activities and we have established procedures in place," said Chemical Bank spokesman John Hatfield. Ahearn's actions are commendable, said Jason Moon, a spokesman for Michigan's Office of Financial and Insurance Services. "It's common that you see these scams with people just trying to take advantage of seniors," he said. "Community bankers know their customers," Moon said. "We hope that all state bank managers would take the same initiative." pegan@detnews.com (313) 222-2069 Death-in-hot-car case is delayedBeacon man accused of endangermentBy Terence Corcoran Gannett News Service PEEKSKILL - After more than a year, the case of a Beacon man charged in the death of his elderly father, whom he had left inside a sweltering car while he went to work, has been continued again. Appearing in Peekskill City Court Monday, Theodore Pressman learned his case was adjourned until Sept. 21. Pressman faces two misdemeanor endangerment charges after he left his parents, both suffering from dementia, inside his car with the windows up July 7, 2008, while he went to work as a bus driver. When Pressman returned to the car several hours later in the Atrium parking lot on John Walsh Boulevard, his 75-year-old mother, Joyce, had gotten out of the vehicle, but his father, Joseph, 85, was dead inside. The temperature inside the car could have reached 120 degrees, police have said. Pressman has had several court appearances since the incident last summer but the case is still pending. He has been free on $10,000 bail, which he posted with a credit card one day after his July 7 arrest. Pressman apparently often left his parents in coffee shops while he worked, rather than leave them alone in the large Victorian house they shared in Beacon. But people who know him have said they do not believe he meant them any harm. SLCO sheriff says new approach needed to fight elder abuseJuly 8th, 2009 @ 10:00pmBy Jed Boal SALT LAKE CITY -- A couple of saddening cases of elder abuse raise new concerns about how well we protect some of the most vulnerable people in our community: the elderly. It's a crime that's tough to stomach, and the Salt Lake County Sheriff says it's on the rise. "We need to start talking about the issues of the aged and look at them in a new light. We've seen some very tragic reminders of that recently," Sheriff Jim Winder said. He's referring to two cases KSL News reported Wednesday: one woman was neglected to the point of death; another beaten by her own grandsons. Elder abuse can be as common as child abuse, and yet the sheriff says we need to respond more aggressively. He says elder abuse is not just a law enforcement issue, it's a community issue. Ninety-year-old Beatrice Barker lived in a West Valley City home with her granddaughter-in-law and caretaker Angie Barker. According to court papers, the grandmother died last month after significant weight loss, suffering from pneumonia and bed sores. The granddaughter faces a felony elder abuse charge. In another case, prosecutors say Michael Hansen Jr. and Christopher Hansen beat up their grandmother, urinated on her and left her injured in a bathroom in her Salt Lake City home. Winder says they used to see a half-dozen elder abuse cases a year; now it's more than a dozen a month. "We're seeing a significant uptick in those cases," Winder said. "I think we as a community, especially law enforcement community, need to start looking at the issue a lot more holistically and aggressively." Winder says law enforcement needs to combat elder abuse the same way it tackles child abuse. His Family Crimes Unit now holds monthly meetings to train more specifically for handling elder abuse. Too often, he says, law enforcement will treat elder abuse as a family matter, especially when it comes to draining the finances of the elderly. "The cases of elderly abuse are not being forwarded and fielded efficiently to law enforcement agencies," Winder said. The sheriff also thinks the state needs to better fund Adult Protective Services, even though the suggestion comes at a time when even more cuts may be on the horizon. "We need to prioritize and look out for the most vulnerable in our community during these tough economic times. Children and the elderly are those populations," Winder said. As a society, we're now more attuned to child abuse. Winder says we also need to be alert to potential elder abuse in our neighborhoods. "It isn't some civil dispute. It's not to be shuttled off to some social service organization," he said. "There are crimes being committed, and law enforcement should be made aware of it." While the crime is growing, the sheriff fears it is also underreported. E-mail: jboal@ksl.com It’s Home Safety Month and AARP’s Create The Good® has suggestions on how you can lend a hand. In just an hour or so, Home Safety Tips & Tools makes it easy for you to help older family, friends, and neighbors maintain their independence with a basic home safety check. And you’ll enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that they’re safer because you care. With Home Safety Tips & Tools <http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.55692.9152.6.8218734> you can:
MEMORANDUMTo: Law Enforcement OfficerFrom: Division of Privacy and Identity Protection The Federal Trade Commission Re: Importance of Identity Theft Report The purpose of this memorandum is to explain what an AIdentity Theft Report@ is, and its importance to identity theft victims in helping them to recover. A police report that contains specific details of an identity theft is considered an AIdentity Theft Report@ under section 605B of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and it entitles an identity theft victim to certain important protections that can help him or her recover more quickly from identity theft. Specifically, under sections 605B, 615(f) and 623(a)(6) of the FCRA, an Identity Theft Report can be used to permanently block fraudulent information that results from identity theft, such as accounts or addresses, from appearing on a victim=s credit report. It will also make sure these debts do not reappear on the credit reports. Identity Theft Reports can prevent a company from continuing to collect debts that result from identity theft, or selling them to others for collection. An Identity Theft Report is also needed to allow an identity theft victim to place an extended fraud alert on his or her credit report. A copy of these sections of the FCRA is enclosed. In order for a police report to be considered an Identity Theft Report, and therefore entitle an identity theft victim to the protections discussed above, the police report must contain details about the accounts and inaccurate information that resulted from the identity theft. We advise victims to bring a printed copy of their ID Theft Complaint filed with the FTC with them to the police station in order to better assist you in creating a detailed police report so that these victims can access the important protections available to them if they have an Identity Theft Report. The victim should sign the ID Theft Complaint in your presence. If possible, you should attach or incorporate the ID Theft Complaint into the police report, and sign the “Law Enforcement Report Information” section of the FTC's ID Theft Complaint. In addition, please provide the identity theft victim with a copy of the Identity Theft Report (the police report with the victim's ID Theft Complaint attached or incorporated) to permit the victim to dispute the fraudulent accounts and debts created by the identity thief. For additional information on Identity Theft Reports or identity theft, please visit our website at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/. |
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Estate planning: The attorney-client relationshipWritten by Dennis Fordham Saturday, 11 July 2009 Elderly clients sometimes come to me with their children, or their caregivers, to see me about estate planning. Often they may rely on them to help express their wants and to make sure that I am someone they can trust; all of which is reasonable. On these occasions, however, I sometimes find it a little awkward to explain to them that I must also meet alone with the clients sufficiently in order to discuss their major decisions. As explained below, there are very legitimate reasons why I, and any other attorney, must insist on meeting with the elderly clients alone. First, an attorney is required to faithfully and confidentially serve the interests of his client(s) only. For that reason, the attorney must meet alone when discussing the client’s important estate planning decisions. The attorney can then assure his clients that he works for them only and that he would not divulge any confidences to anyone else (except with the client’s own permission). With these assurances, the attorney is more likely to get to know his clients, their circumstances and their desires, and so become reasonably certain about his client’s true wishes. On the other hand, were the client’s children to participate at the meeting the children might take charge of the discussion and might prevent the elderly parent(s) from saying something that they would prefer not to say with the children listening. A confidential meeting protects both the attorney and the client’s true objectives should someone later-on, in attacking the estate plan, allege that the estate plan is the product not of the client’s wishes but of someone else’s wishes. Next, the attorney must also be satisfied that the client has the required mental capacity to sign estate planning documents. That is, he must examine the elderly clients’ abilities to communicate and understand what is being discussed; to understand and appreciate the nature and consequences of their decisions to themselves and others; and to make reasoned choices. For example, in order to sign a will, a person must understand that a will takes effect at death and that it directs the distribution of their estate. They must also know the character and extent of their assets (e.g., that they own a home, two cars, a savings and a checking account), and know and recollect their close family members. And, they must be able to devise a way of giving what they have to whom they want. If the attorney is uncertain about a client’s mental capacity he may wish to see the client again at a time when the client may be more alert. He may also want to seek the opinion of the client’s primary care physician, or if necessary a specialist, regarding the client’s mental capacity. Where possible, these alternatives should be first discussed privately with the clients. Even with testamentary capacity present, the attorney also needs to know that the client is acting out of free will and is not subjected to “undue influence” of others pressuring the client about their estate planning. Consider an elderly person who lives with one child, or spends time only with one child, who is isolated and does not communicate much with other friends and family. One can easily foresee in that case how other interested persons could later on allege that undue influence was exerted over the elderly person in order to attack the estate plan as someone else’s wishes. Lastly, after as a sufficient meeting, the family can return to the room. Then, they may perhaps provide further relevant information and the attorney, with the client’s permission, may answer some questions. The purpose after all, is not to distance anyone but to do right by the client. Dennis A. Fordham is an attorney licensed to practice law in California and New York. He earned his bachelor's degree at Columbia University, his juris doctorate at the State University of New York at Buffalo, and his LL.M in taxation at New York University. He concentrates his practice in the areas of estate planning and aspects of elder law. His office is at 55 First St., Lakeport, California. He can be reached by e-mail at dennis@dennisfordhamlaw.com or by phone at 707-263-3235. Secretary of state: Dedham company scammed seniorsBy Edward B. Colby/Daily News staffDaily News Transcript Posted Jul 14, 2009 @ 02:36 AM DEDHAM — A Dedham company accused of fraudulently selling high-risk unregistered securities to seniors says it is cooperating with an investigation by the secretary of state's office. Secretary of State William Galvin last week charged Economic Development Finance Corp. and Economic Development Funding Corp., both of Dedham, with selling unregistered, high-risk securities to seniors through an unregistered broker, Boston South Financial Inc. of Hingham. Boston South and its principal, Robert Blaisdell, were also charged with fraud in connection with the sales. "Nothing in the offering and sale of the Economic Development promissory notes has been anything but reckless, misleading and consists of outright violation of Massachusetts securities laws," Galvin's office wrote in the complaint filed by its Securities Division. "These were high-risk notes and they were sold as safe investments," said Brian McNiff, spokesman for Galvin. "The secretary will make an effort to get the money back for the seniors, as he does with anyone who's been victimized by this sort of fraud." The civil complaint says the companies sold the securities "by making fraudulent and misleading statements to investors," with the two Economic Development entities facilitating the actions of Blaisdell. McNiff said that the case would go before a hearing officer in the Securities Division of the secretary of state's office. McNiff said there is no timetable as of yet for the case to be resolved. The complaint says the secretary of state wants as a remedy that, among other things, Blaisdell be barred from selling securities in Massachusetts and that restitution be gained for investors who were sold the economic development securities. Since 2002 a total of about $3.5 million worth of the notes were sold, with $2.5 million going to senior citizens over age 62, according to Galvin. "Economic Development misled investors into thinking their investments (most of which were retirement funds) were guaranteed and secure," the complaint says. The notes promised a 12 percent annual return, it says. But the securities actually defrauded the seniors of their life savings, with the seniors "now left stuck with their savings in debt instruments that are not redeemable or transferable," the complaint says. Blaisdell sought out investors at senior centers - selling about $700,000 of promissory notes to one 86-year-old at the Council of Aging in Harwich, and $167,000 of notes to an 80-year-old at the Council of Aging in Hanson, authorities allege. Blaisdell's lawyer, Thomas Tucker, of Duxbury, said his client firmly believed the notes were "safe investments." Tucker said Blaisdell and his wife put their own money into them. "He wasn't taking other people's money and treating it cavalierly. This was something he strongly believed in," Tucker said. He said Blaisdell plans to contest the charges, and that several investors have offered to testify on his behalf. "So far as we know, no investor has lost a dime in these promissory notes," Tucker said. "So far as we know they've all gotten paid the interest paid that they're supposed to get paid." Meantime, Economic Development Finance Corp. said in a statement that it is "cooperating fully with the state's Securities Division in the matter," and that neither the company nor any staff members "had any direct contact with the potential investors Mr. Blaisdell solicited." Economic Development Finance Corp. builds "work force housing" that is affordable for middle-income-earners - such as plumbers, teachers and tradesmen. The company says this group "forms the backbone of our communities." Its principal address is 858 Washington St. Economic Development Funding Corp. is incorporated in Delaware, but also has a business address of 859 Washington St. in Dedham. President David Rodriquez-Pinzon owns 65 percent of both companies, while executive Richard Slowey owns 35 percent, according to the complaint. In its statement, Economic Development Finance Corp. said it checked out Blaisdell's record beforehand and that it "reasonably relied on the services of a licensed professional to market the securities. We are extremely disappointed with the allegations as to how these notes were marketed." "When we were first informed of this allegation by the state's Securities Division, we refused to accept any new investments offered by Mr. Blaisdell and continued working with his firm for a brief period of time only to ensure that the interests of all EDFC investors were protected," the company added. Galvin spokesman McNiff said the respondents have 21 days to answer the complaint, McNiff said. As for Boston South Financial Inc., Tucker said it is "not really functioning" now. During the investigation, the Securities Division made many calls to Blaisdell's clients, Tucker said, and that "obviously put a huge damper on his clientele and on his business." Daily News staff writer Edward B. Colby can be reached at 781-433-8336 or ecolby@cnc.com. Senate Reviews Emergency Safety for SeniorsBy Michael A. PiekarzStaff Writer The U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing on June 24th to examine ways to increase the safety and awareness of seniors and those living with special needs when disasters or public health emergencies arise. During the hearing, conducted by Sen. Mel Martinez, D-Fla., the Committee took testimony from local, state and federal witnesses on how to increase the safety of all Americans, with emphasis on protecting the most vulnerable through targeted personal and collaborative efforts. “Threats vary from state to state and region to region. Whether it is a flood, blizzard, earthquake or fire, emergency responders at every level ought to be prepared to assist our most vulnerable citizens,” Sen. Martinez stated. The special safety concerns of America’s seniors became a target for lawmakers in the tragic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina nearly four years ago. When Katrina struck New Orleans, only 15 percent of the city’s population was age-60 or older, but 74 percent of hurricane-related deaths were seniors. “Older adults are often the hardest hit when Mother Nature is at her worst — no one should be endangered by virtue of their age, living situation or physical capabilities,” vowed Martinez. Director Richard E. Besser, M.D., Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), provided testimony about the CDC’s role in preparing the national response to health-related emergencies. Besser focused on the current threat faced by seniors during the swine flu pandemic. While he does not believe seniors are at a greater risk for contracting the swine flu, he feels that communities must prepare for the upcoming flu season, when seniors are among the most vulnerable. “Overall, we are more ready for an influenza pandemic or other public health emergency today than we have been at any other point in our nation’s history,” Besser analyzed. “CDC’s preparedness activities have reached communities across the county, helping [to] improve the nation’s ongoing response to the current influenza pandemic.” Tim Manning, the deputy administrator for national preparedness, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), provided his agency’s perspective on the issue. Manning testified that, historically, considerations for special needs populations have been inadequate, but that lessons learned post-Katrina have helped in the identification of a large segment of the population which may not be able to successfully plan for and respond to an emergency with the resources typically accessible to the general population. Manning recommended that efforts be made to encourage personal preparedness, which he described as a process of individual thinking and consideration of basic steps that each of us must take to help prevent and prepare for the next disaster. He suggested that all Americans must take responsibility for preparing themselves, their families and their communities for natural calamities. Secretary for the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, Douglas Beach, highlighted the role his department plays in representing the needs of seniors and helping his state prepare for natural emergencies. Beach was joined by LuMarie Polivka, the senior vice president of policy for the Florida Health Care Association. Her testimony stressed the necessity of redundancy in disaster planning and coordination of efforts at the local, state and federal level. The last witness appearing before the Committee was Sandy Markwood, chief executive officer of National Association of Area Agencies on Aging. Markwood provided her agency’s insights on the unique challenges facing seniors during times of natural or manmade disasters. “Area Agencies on Aging have found through their experiences in responding to disasters that older adults have distinct needs [which] present challenges to community-wide emergency planning and response,” Markwood explained. “Each stage of an emergency — during evacuation, at emergency shelters or when returning to the community — needs to be handled differently when dealing with frail, older adults,” she added. Markwood listed several challenges faced by seniors during emergencies, including a lack of regular health support and services, and the complexity of senior medical needs that precludes the “one size fits all” approach normally taken when planning for disaster relief. The Committee noted that advance preparation, such as having a communications plan and an emergency kit with an extra pair of glasses or a hearing aid battery, are the kinds of steps that might mean the difference between life and death for seniors facing a disaster. It was also found that emergency responders have taken significant steps to address the unique needs of seniors and that the role of government is ensuring that caregivers are trained in emergency-preparedness procedures and response coordination. “Each year, new threats emerge as old threats largely remain,” Martinez commented. “We must not forget the special needs of our seniors, whether the threat is natural, manmade or public health emergencies.” The Committee is expected to recommend legislative action after further study. Web-Based Training Pilot Program for Senior Medication Management Needs Your Help!Telling seniors about how and why they should safely take their medicines is extremely important. The Administration on Aging and the Health Resources Services Administration have developed a web-based education program to prevent older adults from being poisoned due to accidental misuse and interactions with their medicines. The program, Taking Your Medicines Safely, is designed to be administered by senior center personnel to interested seniors in their Center.The one hour web-based program covers: 1) potential problems of taking prescription medicines with over-the-counter products; 2) ways to keep track of medicines; and 3) questions seniors should ask about their medicines. The program needs to be reviewed and finalized before it can be made available nationally. You know what works best with your population so your input is invaluable. Please visit the website and supply your feedback on the program between July 17th and July 31st. The website is http://66.92.20.174/MedicineSafely/. The password for the website is safely01. Experts: Seniors easy targetsBy Kevin HaasRRSTAR.COM Posted Jul 10, 2009 @ 12:06 AM Last update Jul 10, 2009 @ 12:16 AM ROCKFORD — Aging adults are less likely to be the victims of violent acts like Wednesday’s slaying of a couple in their 70s, but authorities say seniors often can be targeted for fraud, theft and other crimes. Though not all crimes can be prevented, authorities say there are steps older adults can take to safeguard themselves. “There are certain types of crimes that the elderly are targeted for,” said Dominic Iasparro, deputy chief of the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department. “They’re often the victims of scams or fraud.” The National Crime Prevention Council recommends seniors refuse to open their doors to strangers without identification, make sure doors and windows are locked, and be wary of door-to-door scams to swindle them out of their hard-earned savings. “The vulnerability of older people in their homes is a very important issue,” said Janet Ellis, executive director of the Northwestern Illinois Area Agency on Aging. “In many cases, an older person is much more inclined to look at something as being a positive, not a negative. Meaning they are probably more apt to open their door to someone than many of us would do.” Those age 65 and older are the least likely to be victims of violent crime, according to the Department of Justice. About 44 percent of the nation’s homicide victims are between ages 20 and 34. However, senior citizens are often targeted for fraud or theft. About one of out five personal crimes against the elderly are thefts, according to the Department of Justice. That’s compared with about one in 33 for people ages 12 to 49. Crime prevention groups advise that seniors should never give out their personal information over the phone and be wary of investments that promise large returns if they can provide money upfront. “There is no way in the world I would ever give out my bank number or anything like that,” said 82-year-old Ruth Campbell of Belvidere. “I know how to tell them ‘no.’ ” Awareness and caution can help prevent seniors from being scammed, but authorities also say you shouldn’t hesitate to call the police. “If they see someone of suspicious nature, or someone is trying to pressure them to let them in the door, call the police right away,” Deputy Chief Greg Lindmark said. Staff writer Kevin Haas can be reached at khaas@rrstar.com or 815-987-1354. Tips for making your home safe, avoiding fraud
Copyright © 2009 GateHouse Media, Inc. Some Rights Reserved. Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. Medication collection exceeds November 2008 intakeThe Mid Coast Medication Collection program surpassed the amount of substances collected during its bi-annual collection on June 11 and 12. The program, which is funded in part by the Sagadahoc Community Justice Project, was held at five sites in the Mid Coast area and is the result of a multi-agency collaboration, including Merrymeeting Triad and Mid Coast Hospital.Several hundred people contributed unwanted drugs during the two-day collection period, resulting in a collection of nearly 965 pounds of non-controlled substances, and 12,451 does of controlled substances. If you missed the collection, visit Maine's Safe Medicine Collection website for details about how to mail in your unused prescription medication: http://www.safemeddisposal.com/. |
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More Senior Safety related articles are located at www.nationaltriad.org; e-news section. |