In a recent column, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins focuses on the financial exploitation of senior citizens in Maine and coincidentally, Maine’s Legal Services for the Elderly has recently been airing television commercials about this very issue. Collins uses a troubling example in her column to point out the very real problem:
“In late 2012, a Maine jury found an Androscoggin County woman guilty of stealing from her own mother. The details leading up to this conviction were very troubling: This woman sold her mother’s home and moved her into a camper located in her back yard. As if that were not bad enough, the daughter and her boyfriend went on to deplete her mother’s life savings over the course of two years, leaving her penniless as well as homeless.
“In Maine alone, there are 14,000 new reports each year of senior abuse, which includes financial abuse. And, in as many as 90 percent of financial cases, the senior is victimized by someone he or she knows well.”
Collins chairs the Senate Special Committee on Aging, which has held a hearing to examine this issue. She goes on to say, “Identifying victims of financial exploitation in my state is particularly difficult because we Mainers pride ourselves on our self-sufficiency. It is difficult for many seniors to ask for help. In addition, since victims who have their assets taken by family members typically do not want their relatives to be criminally prosecuted, the stolen money is rarely recovered. This loss can undermine both the health of older adults and their financial security.”
Many of us understand the concerns of proud Mainers but this financial abuse is a growing problem. If a senior is feeling overwhelmed, wants to know their rights or just has to talk with someone, it is suggested they talk with their attorney, contact the free Legal Services for the Elderly (800-750-5353) or the local Area Agency on Aging.
Concerned Maine organizations are trying to combat financial abuse of seniors though programs like the innovative Senior$afe program, which is the first of its kind in the nation. Senior$afe is a collaborative effort by Maine’s regulators, financial institutions, and legal organizations to educate bank and credit union employees about how to identify and help stop financial exploitation of older Mainers.
On another topic, AAA Mature Operator courses are defensive-driving courses designed to meet the information needs and interests of senior drivers over 55 years of age. Drivers who successfully complete the driver improvement program also might be eligible to receive insurance premium discounts. All classes are at the AAA NNE office, 68 Marginal Way, Portland.
Classroom driver improvement courses are taught by AAA-certified instructors trained to make your experience educational and engaging – and to make you a better driver. In this environment, you can ask the instructor questions, learn from others in a group setting and gain hands-on experiences in real world situations. For more information, call 791-8577.
Kay Soldier welcomes reader ideas for column topics of interest to seniors. She can be reached by email at kso48@aol.com, or write to 114 Tandberg Trail, Windham, ME 04062.
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