County Launches Elder Abuse Awareness Campaign

The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office is urging seniors and those who love them to be on the guard for financial abuse, as well as physical abuse as June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month.

Schemes to defraud the elderly and dependent adults abound, especially during the pandemic, along with the danger of their physical abuse, said staff at the district attorney’s Elder Protection Unit in a statement issued last week. Some of these threats can involve family members, not just strangers, taking advantage of or physically hurting elders, they added.

“We’re seeing a lot of cases with people who are living in enclosed living quarters and aren’t able to get out into the community,” said James Travari, executive director of Legal Assistance for Seniors, in an October 2020 online forum on elder abuse during COVID.

Calls about made-up benefits, or scams involving actual ones, are also increasing, he said.

To avoid financial abuse, the District Attorney’s Office suggests being careful about your finances and identification, and to remember that not all abusers are strangers. An acquaintance or family member who takes a new and sudden interest in your finances might have motives besides your well-being, as might a “new friend.”

The District Attorney’s Office has an Elder Protection Unit fighting physical or financial abuse of the elderly, and victims of abuse or their caretakers are urged to contact their hotline at (510) 383-8600 if there is suspicion of abuse or attempted abuse.

The Elder Protection Unit suggests avoiding scams by protecting personal information such as passwords, social security numbers, and account numbers, and not giving it out over the phone if someone calls you. Most legitimate businesses and government agencies will not ask for this over the phone unless you contacted them with a problem.

Don’t be rushed into agreeing to anything over the phone, and if it’s too good to be true, it probably isn’t. If you’ve really won something, you don’t have to pay anyone to get it.

Perhaps equally important is keeping your spirits and defenses up, says the Elder Protection Unit: Don’t isolate yourself, and stay involved with others.

Several Alameda County cities are also adding their efforts to preventing elder abuse with a series of proclamations this week and next.

Seniors or their caretakers who have questions or think they may have been exposed to a scam can also email askCEPD-da@acgov.org or call the Elder Protection Unit.

In the case of physical abuse, one can call county Adult Protective Services, 24 hours a day, at (510) 577-3500 or toll-free at 866-225-5277 (866-CALL-APS). Alameda County Department of Adult and Aging Services, 510-577-1900 can also provide help.

Calls to these county offices are confidential.