Expert panelists discuss protecting older adults

By TERESA SCOTT

Staff Writer

Community members gathered to hear panelists speak on ways to protect older adults Monday morning at Trinity Evangelical Church. 

Ohio District 5 Area Agency on Aging, in partnership with Wyandot County Jobs and Family Services, hosted the event where guests could visit resource tables for information and listen to five panelists explain what dangers senior citizens may face and how to protect against them. 

AAA5 Chief of Community Living Trae Turner said that with the amount of abuse or neglect situations that go unreported, the event served as a way to increase awareness and spread resources for vulnerable older adults to stay informed. The event also covered exploitation. 

Types of abuse and exploitation

AAA5 Community Living Supervisor Richard Meeker explained the difference between neglect and exploitation. He said neglect happens when an individual is unable to provide the proper standard of care for the other person, and it may not be intentional. He said with the cost of living going up, there may be instances where a caregiver simply cannot do it. Meeker said exploitation happens when an individual unlawfully uses the other person for monetary gain or resources. He said often it happens when an individual asserts control over another’s resources. Meeker’s job is to investigate allegations of abuse or neglect. 

“Our job is to get involved and provide assistance to make sure those needs are being addressed,” Meeker said. 

Huntington Bank Branch Manager Deanna McClain noted that fraudsters often target older populations more than any other group. She said her role is to educate and help prevent fraud.

“I’ve seen it all,” she said. 

McClain explained that abuse can range from outright stealing money, to a caregiver using an individuals ATM card or checks without authorization.

Wyandot County Prosecutor Eric Figlewicz agreed that many financial crimes in Wyandot County target the elderly. He named the three most common crimes he sees. Figlewicz said a major scam he sees is when a person needs work done on their home, and they pay the “contractor” money before the job is completed, only to have the “contractor” take the money and run. He noted that phone scams are on the rise and they are often extortion scams. The final scam he sees is one he calls “friendly fire,” in which a friend will reach out saying they need money and will weave themselves into a person’s life for monetary gain. 

Figlewicz handles felony offenses in Wyandot County and explained that the elderly are a protected class in Ohio. Meaning, any crime committed against them may carry an enhanced penalty. He gave the example of a misdemeanor offense of theft being charged as a felony because of their protected class status. 

Roth Bacon Moon Attorney Associate Jessica Bacon Moon said part of her role is to assist with estate and asset transfer services, which means she is combating types of fraud on a closer level. She noted that individuals who are reliant on one caregiver may be more at risk for being abused. 

“Relationships with people who you’re reliant on can almost become transactional,” Bacon Moon said. “If you’re reliant on one party for everything, that is a set-up for abuse.” 

Guest speaker, AAA5 Navigator Supervisor Victoria Hicks, explained the rise of Medicare scams and how to avoid being a victim. She said to be wary of receiving any type of call from someone claiming to be from the Medicare office. 

“Medicare will not call you,” Hicks said. “ They will send a letter. If they are going to call you, they will send a letter saying the time.” 

She urges people to be careful when answering the phone and said it is OK to call people back. She said that getting connected with resources to sign up for Medicare through AAA5 can help. 

The panelists explained other types of fraud they have witnessed among the elderly population and some steps to reduce being scammed. 

Wyandot County Sheriff Todd Frey echoed the sentiments of other panelists, saying that he has seen telephone scams and other forms of abuse and exploitation.

Prevention

Frey said it is important for victims of fraud or abuse to reach out early. He said while some may feel embarrassed about asking for help, it is necessary to report the crime sooner rather than later. He gave an example of a family who tried to handle a scammer themselves, and they ended up losing $125,000 in the process. 

“We want to get involved early,” Frey said.

He said it is important for families to look out for family members.

“Family members need to get involved,” Frey said. “Nothing says you have to take away their independence, but help educate them.”

Frey said there is now a Wyandot County Sheriff’s application that has a cyber security module available for viewing. 

Piggybacking off that point, Meeker said often older individuals may be afraid to seek help because they do not want their independence taken away. 

“Nobody is here to take your independence,” Meeker said. 

He explained that at the end of the day, if abuse or exploitation of any kind is reported, it is usually up to the individual if they want to take further action and be removed from someone’s care. 

Bacon Moon said prevention happens when individuals aren’t isolated.

“We encourage outreach,” she said. “Know who your people are that will keep you in check.”

Bacon Moon said for those without many family members, seeking community support is important. 

McClain said it can be a challenge, but when faced with an exploitative situation, try to remain rational. She said at her bank, the employees are on the front line looking for any suspicious activity. 

Figlewicz said if one is the victim of fraud or any other crime, it is important to not advertise the action one is taking against the perpetrator. He said this will prevent the perpetrator from getting ahead of prosecution. Figlewicz also warns that a lot of scams involve people overseas and it can be hard to track and convict those individuals, so it is important to be vigilant. 

“If it seems too good to be true, it probably is,” he said. 

Meeker said that fraud can happen to anyone and it often relies on the individual acting quickly and emotionally. 

”It’s OK to pause,” Meeker said. 

Reaching out to the Wyandot County Sheriff’s Office, the Wyandot County Prosecutor’s Office or the AAA5 with any questions about possible neglect, exploitation or fraud is encouraged.