SILER CITY — Increasing the awareness of elder abuse and scams that target the elderly are topics of a May 30 program at the Western Chatham Senior Center.
Elder abuse isn’t limited to just physical issue. While the number of home health aides has increased in North Carolina, and hospice use is increasing, the elderly are often seen as easy prey for a wide range of abuses. This includes the abuse of financial, mental and other resources.
Experts say seniors are often more trusting, and thieves and scammers use this to their advantage. To combat this, a free May 30 event sponsored by the Chatham County Department of Social Services-Adult Services, in partnership with the Chatham County Council on Aging, and N.C. Cooperative Extension will offer a series of presentations to update seniors on the latest frauds and types of scams that target the senior citizen.
Planned speakers include Hugh Harris with the N.C. Department of Justice, Stephanie Bias with the N.C. Department of Insurance, and representatives from the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office.
“We want seniors to have knowledge to pick up on clues,” said Melanie Girard, the Council on Aging’s Development & Communications Director, “so they don’t feel pressured to give out money without checking with family or authorities.”
Thursday’s event will cover a variety of topics and offer tips for the elderly to safeguard their finances. Some of the topics on the list to be covered include the Internet, phone scams, lotteries, home repair scams, and Medicare fraud.
For more information, contact the Western Chatham Senior Center at 919-742-3975.