Crimes Against Seniors Can Make You Cry Foul – Or You Can Prevent Them
They are devious and target one of the most vulnerable groups in our society – older Americans. Scammers who prey on seniors are sneaky and often show no mercy to their victims. For example, a telephone call offering a set of brand new pots for a great, low price ended in personal bankruptcy for one 70-year-old man. If you were the family member or friend of that older gentleman, you could either feel sorry for him or take action. The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) hopes you will choose to act. Let us show you how to help.
With more than five million cases of elder abuse reported since 2010 and $2.9 billion lost as a result of theft or financial fraud committed against the elderly, we need to use World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (June 15th) as a call to action for senior citizens, their family members, others who care for them, and all members of our communities.
The National Crime Prevention Council recently launched a “Crimes Against Seniors” campaign to increase awareness about the symptoms, signs, and impact of elder abuse and financial fraud. Recently, NCPC held a virtual conference “Safety in the Golden Years” (April 2014) to bring together experts from across the country to share strategies and best practices for preventing
elder abuse and financial fraud against older Americans. The conference is still available online through July 10, 2014, so you still have time to raise awareness about the extent of the problem and learn about the importance of taking collaborative actions in your local communities.
However, crimes against seniors are worth worldwide recognition. To that end, the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day was created by the National Center on Elder Abuse and Administration for Community Living because they believe prevention is the solution. And raising awareness among all Americans is the first step toward decreasing these crimes. Visit their new website, which invites people and communities to commemorate the day actively – by organizing or registering events and making sure older Americans are safe from harm and neglect.
The National Crime Prevention Council with the National Center on Elder Abuse and the Administration for Community Living are committed to raise awareness, reduce victimizations, and provide the support older Americans need to stop these insidious crimes. Let’s start by working together on Elder Abuse Awareness Day and then make every day an opportunity to help “Take A Bite Out Of Crime.” Seniors deserve it.
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