CONSUMER CHOICE


Staying Educated About Elder Abuse Resources Helps Everyone


in public service as a town attorney in Lovettsville, Va., and then was elected as a member of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors. Prior to serving as Attorney General, he served eight years in the Senate of Virginia. During his years of service, General Her-


M


ring has focused on keeping seniors safe and protecting them from abuse. As a state sen- ator, General Herring worked to strengthen penalties against individuals who financially exploited a senior or incapacitated adult. As Attorney General, he advocated for a new law allowing localities to establish local and regional adult fatality review teams—work groups including elder service providers, local government agencies, medical examin- ers, police, and other community partners. These groups help to develop better local policies for protection and intervention. Here, General Herring shares information about available resources and how your community can help combat elder abuse.


What elder abuse resources are available for seniors and families, and where can I nd them “Far too often, seniors are targeted by criminals and scammers who think they are more vulnerable because they come from a generation when people could trust each other and looked out for each other. If you suspect someone you know is being abusedwhether it’s physically, financially, or any other way—it is important to report it to authorities immediately. It is not up to the average citizen to conduct an investi- gation, make a finding, and get help for an individual, so if you suspect abuse, report it. In our oce, we have a number of re- sources available for abuse issues. We have a


52 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE / ISSUE 3 2017


ark Herring became the 48th Attorney General of Virginia in 2014. He began his career


Medicaid fraud, elder abuse, and neglect ho- tline for seniors and their families to call that is staffed by investigators and attorneys who can investigate and prosecute cases against seniors. I am so proud of the work our Med- icaid Fraud Unit does—it was named best in the country and has recovered more than $64 million for Virginia taxpayers. We also have a consumer hotline and a web filing option for those that are taken advantage of financially, and our computer crimes group can look into cases where internet scams have been perpetrated. If you don’t live in Virginia, other states


have area agencies on aging as well as adult protective services hotlines, so I en- courage all seniors and their families to do some research to learn about the resources available in their state. The Federal Trade Commission website is also a great source of information for how to prevent people from becoming victimized.”


How can senior communities help residents and families combat elder ause “Seeking information on how to identify, report, and prevent abuse helps everyone in the community, and the more you know, the better. Community outreach coordina- tors from my oce can visit any communi- ty-based group across the state to provide training on elder abuse identification and prevention. If you are not a Virginia resi- dent, contact your state’s Attorney General office to see what options are available where you live. Older adults with a variety of strong so-


cial relationships and connections are less likely to be abused. We need to continue to work to create a cooperative effort among law enforcement agencies, senior organi- zations, and senior citizens to keep older adults safe from crimes and other public


Change Agent Prole


Attorney General Mark Herring of Virginia


safety threats such as opioid addiction—the third highest age cohort for fatal overdoses is age 55-65. That’s why it is so important for seniors to educate themselves on the dan- gers of opioid addiction and how to keep themselves, their spouses, their friends, and their neighbors safe. As Attorney General, I have a special


obligation to each and every Virginian to keep them safe and secure, and I will not stop working to protect them. Our seniors deserve that peace of mind and sense of security after a lifetime of building our com- munities, raising us, and contributing to our success as a Commonwealth.”


Age 55-65 IS THE 3RD HIGHEST AGE COHORT FOR FATAL OPIOID OVERDOSES.


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