Arlington Council on Aging and Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan will host an event for Arlington seniors to commemorate World Elder Abuse Awareness Day!
The Arlington Elder Abuse Prevention Task Force will present an event with True Story Theater at the Arlington Council on Aging from 1:00 – 2:30pm on June 15, 2017 to commemorate World Elder Abuse Awareness Day! The task force continues to do tireless work in promoting elder abuse prevention to the entire Arlington community. The event is free and open to all
The Arlington Police Department, in partnership with the Arlington Elder Abuse Task Force, designed this card for distribution to older adults throughout the town of Arlington as a valuable public education tool to protect seniors from scams. The information is simple and straightforward and lets everyone in town know that the police are aware of these issues and there to help when needed. The cards are available at the Arlington Senior Center, the police department, and have been distributed all over town this Fall.
I Made a Difference – Recognition and Celebration Event
“I Made A Difference!” World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, Wednesday, June 15, 2016, 3-4 pm, Second Annual Hall of Fame Awards sponsored by the Arlington Elder Abuse Task Force and the Arlington Council on Aging. Location: Mural Room
Join us in honoring those who took a stand against abuse, neglect, and exploitation of seniors in Arlington this year. Honor World Elder Abuse Awareness Day by wearing something purple. Enjoy refreshments. Pick up an elder abuse emergency contact list.
Forum on Financial Exploitation a Success!
On May 25, 2016 the Arlington Elder Abuse Task Force and the Cambridge Elder Abuse Prevention Coalition jointly sponsored a forum for local bankers entitled Senior Economic Safety: A Collaborative Discussion with Bankers, Protective Services, Police, and Councils on Aging. Over forty bankers from each community attended along with other community members. The focus of the event was on protecting older adults in our communities from all forms of financial exploitation. To that end, an excellent overview on elder financial exploitation was provided by Jonathan Fielding, Protective Services Regional Manager of the Executive Office of Elder Affairs. Susan Carp, Executive Director of the Arlington Council on Aging and Susan Pacheco, Executive Director of the Cambridge Council on Aging talked about the value of community education and awareness in preventing elder abuse. Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Chief Fred Ryan of the Arlington Police Department also spoke about the value of community collaborations. We are so pleased that so many bankers took the time to learn more about a serious and growing problem for all of our seniors and to commit to working within their communities to create effective, collaborative interventions to protect the economic security of older community members.
L – R Susan Carp; Jonathan Fielding; Alec Graham, Director of Protective Services
Bankers and Arlington Police Members in Attendance
The Arlington Elder Abuse Task Force is a community-based team of organizations, individuals, and seniors committed to providing public education and resources to prevent and respond to abuse, neglect, fraud, and financial exploitation of all seniors in Arlington.
Interested in getting involved with the Arlington Elder Abuse Task Force? Get in touch!
Arlington Task Force members at a town hall forum on elder financial exploitation.
Arlington COA Director Awarded Innovator of Year by Massachusetts Association of Councils on Aging
Easthampton – The Massachusetts Association of Councils on Aging (MCOA) has awarded the Innovator of the Year Award to Susan Carp, Executive Director of the Arlington Council on Aging, and Betsey Crimmins, Senior Attorney, Greater Boston Legal Services, in recognition of their work with older adults. Ms. Carp and Ms. Crimmins were honored at the MCOA Annual Meeting on June 5, 2015 in Devens, MA. They were recognized for their work to establish the Arlington Elder Abuse Task Force.
Formed in early 2014, the Arlington Elder Abuse Task Force is a community-based team of organizations and individuals committed “to providing public education and resources to prevent and respond to abuse, neglect, fraud and financial exploitation of all seniors in Arlington.” Their efforts included a summit entitled “Your Economic Security and Personal Safety” that engaged scores of community partners and was attended by 175 individuals. True Story Theater, brought the stories to life through improvisation. Attendees learned about the potential signs of financial and emotional abuse and community resources available to help individuals facing these situations. Other communities in Massachusetts are replicating this model. This program was made possible by a grant awarded to Susan Carp and by the Executive Office of Elder Affairs and has been recognized for her work by that state agency.
Your Arlington: We honor those who excel at whacking baseballs, dunking basketballs or spiraling footballs by electing them to halls of fame, but what hall is there for those who stand up for the elderly?
The Arlington Elder Abuse Task Force has created one, and has added four town residents as honorees at its first hall-of-fame ceremony.The induction occurred on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, Monday, June 15, at the Senior Center. Named those who made a difference to the elderly were:
Tony Carson: Branch manager of Rockland Trust Bank on Broadway, Arlington, where he has worked for two years and, before that, at Central Bank for seven years. Carson and his staff, particularly Lynne Yazejian, uncovered a financial-exploitation situation involving an elderly woman. Their quick actions saved this senior the loss of much money.
Lt. Mike Sheehan: Sworn in as police officer in 1986, he was assigned after eight years in patrol to the Criminal Investigation Bureau, the CIB. He became police prosecutor in 1997 and stayed in that position until September 2009, when promoted to lieutenant and was put in charge of CIB. Lt. Sheehan has “made a difference” for Arlington seniors as a founding member of the Arlington Elder Abuse Task Force. He created a comprehensive “scams” link to the police section of the town website. See it here >>
Aidan Crimmins: The sophomore at Arlington High School and amateur videographer created an innovative video about the Arlington Elder Abuse Task Force and its supportive community partners. The video emphasizes how many caring Arlington residents are making sure to watch out for and take care of elderly family, neighbors and friends. See the video here
Lynn Horgan: She grew up in Arlington, moved to San Diego after college and returned to Arlington in 2001 with husband, Craig, and two daughters. Lynn is an occupational therapist, primarily with the aging population. Horgan advocated for an elderly acquaintance who she observed was in an uncomfortable situation with a man she didn’t know after hearing her in a loud conversation. She intervened and advocated firmly for the senior, when the stranger was angry and hostile. After the man left, she stayed with the senior to assure her safety and spoke to the senior’s daughter to alert her and apprise her of the situation.
The Elder Abuse Prevention Project of Greater Boston Legal Services 