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Elder
Financial Abuse Conference Oct. 16-18 in Montgomery
 Auburn,
Oct. 5---The Alabama Cooperative Extension System in partnership
with Georgia, Mississippi, Florida and Tennessee Cooperative
Extension Services, and the Central Alabama Aging Consortium will
host a conference for the awareness and prevention of elder
financial abuse. The conference is Oct. 16-18 at the Governor’s
House Hotel and Conference Center in Montgomery, Ala.
As the search and rescue
efforts proceeded in the days following the destruction of the World
Trade Center, a nation stood witness to the unselfish giving of
ordinary people called upon to do extraordinary things. In the midst
of any tragedy, we trust in each other.
"Unfortunately,
there are people who take advantage of that trust," says Robert
White, a financial specialist for family programs with the Alabama
Cooperative Extension System. There have been several reports of
financial scams and frauds targeting the families of those lost and
missing in the attack on the morning of Sept. 11.
"A day of tragedy
is just another day of opportunity for the perpetrators of such
crimes," White says.
Financial abuse is an
all-too-common occurrence. Senior citizens are frequent victims of
theft, fraud, stolen identity, threats, unauthorized transactions
and scams that are collectively referred to as elder financial
abuse. The victims are often elderly people who rely on the trust of
others to manage their personal financial affairs.
Abusers can be total
strangers, unscrupulous businesses, public servants or even
neighbors. Quite often, however, the abuser is someone the victim
knows well and depends on for daily assistance. Many times elderly
financial abuse can be a family affair.
At the conference,
Extension professionals and other community partners will share
information about this significant problem. They also will build
multiagency coalitions and develop multistate strategies for
increasing public awareness and prevention of elder financial
exploitation and abuse.
The full registration
fee is $150 and includes educational materials, two meals, breaks
and a reception. Some of the guest speakers include Dr. Jane
Schuchardt, USDA CSREES program leader, Washington, D.C.; Dr. Jordan
Kosberg, School of Social Work, University of Alabama; Barbara
Martin-Worley, Colorado Coalition for Elder Rights and Adult
Protection; Mississippi State Senator Terry Burton; and Dr. John Ed
Mathison, senior minister, Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church,
Montgomery.
A wide variety of topics
will be discussed either by speakers or in panel discussions. Some
topics include Elder Financial Exploitation and Abuse: Response to
the Problem; The Law and Elder Financial Abuse; Your Role in
Preventing Financial Fraud; Medicare Frauds; Slams and Scams Against
the Elderly; Financial Security in Later Life; Home Repairs;
Telemarketing; and Faith Community and Elder Financial Abuse.
For more information on
the conference, contact your county Extension office.
SOURCE: Robert White,
Financial Specialist for Family Programs, Alabama Cooperative
Extension System, (334) 844-2235
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