Jackson County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Katie Branigan will be one of the speakers at the Senior Safe, Sound and Secure Seminar from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wed., Sept. 17 at the County Human Service Complex, 1715 Lansing Ave., Jackson.
Branigan talked with Jo Mathis of The Legal News about the safety of local seniors.
Mathis: What are the safety concerns of seniors in Jackson County?
Branigan: Seniors being taken advantage of financially and otherwise — sometimes by family members or people close to them and sometimes by complete strangers who target the senior population.
Mathis: What would surprise people to know about this issue?
Branigan: Some seniors are reluctant to report being abused, mistreated or taken advantage of because they are either embarrassed or because the perpetrator is a family member.
Mathis: Is there a particular scheme being used right now?
Branigan:?We have seen situations where seniors have had checks stolen from their check book or checks that were intercepted in the mail and then used. Sometimes if an individual does not regularly use or check the account, they don’t notice right away when money is missing.
Mathis: What do seniors—and those who care for and about them—need to know?
Branigan: Be wary of giving anyone any personal or financial information such as account numbers and social security numbers, especially over the phone. Report any abuse – whether financial or physical – to police and Adult Protective Services.
Mathis: What will your talk include?
Branigan: My talk will include some of the more common or frequently seen scams or instances of seniors being taken advantage of. This will hopefully assist people in identifying signs of scams and be more aware to avoid falling into a scam situation.
The event is sponsored by the Region 2 Area Agency on Aging and hosted by TRIAD of Jackson County, a collaboration of seniors, law enforcement and community organizations working together to reduce criminal victimization of older adults.
Other speakers will include Jackson County Sheriff Steve Rand, Bobbie Norman of Jackson County Department of Human Services and Christine Coady of Senior Brigade. Lunch will be prepared by the Jackson County Department on Aging. To register, call 517-788-4364.
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