Deputy District Attorney Eileen McAndrew speaks about elder abuse prevention at Emeryville City Hall.

BY SHALEECE HAAS // Every year millions of senior citizens report being abused. Their bank accounts are drained. Their possessions are sold. They are abandoned by family members and left without means to care for themselves.

Last Thursday, local elder care experts gathered at Emeryville City Hall to raise awareness of this prevalent but under-reported problem and ensure that community members know how to protect themselves from becoming victims.

“I’m here to help prevent crimes so the people we love, the most vulnerable people, are less likely to be victimized,” said panelist Eileen McAndrew, senior deputy district attorney for Alameda County.

McAndrew, who represents seniors in the Alameda County Elder Protection Court, shared tips for ways seniors can maintain personal safety.

“Trust your instincts,” she said. “If you think there’s something wrong, there probably is.”

She encouraged seniors to program their cell phones for the local emergency telephone number (510-596-3737 in Emeryville) and to avoid isolation whenever possible.

McAndrew also stressed the need to ensure seniors’ financial safety.

“Realize that everyone’s after your money – and do your homework,” McAndrew said.

Kirsten Voyles, a staff attorney for the Oakland-based nonprofit Legal Assistance for Seniors, said she often tells her clients, “It’s okay to say no. It’s okay to say, ‘I need some time to think about this. Can you send something to me in writing?’”

By simply talking with trusted advisors before making financial decisions, seniors can avoid falling victim to scams, McAndrew said. Many con artists prey on the human tendencies toward compassion and gullibility.

“Our elders want to help,” McAndrew said. “They expect fair play. That’s what makes them vulnerable.”

Though sophisticated scams are all too common, McAndrew is quick to note that strangers are not the most likely abusers.

“The dirty little secret about elder abuse is that the people who do it are the people we love and trust the most – because they have the most access,” McAndrew said.

According to a 2000 study by the National Center on Elder Abuse, family members account for 62 percent of perpetrators, while strangers accounted for less than one percent in substantiated reports.

Panelists encouraged citizens to be on the lookout for signs of elder abuse and to report concerns to Adult Protective Services (Abuse hotline: 510-577-3500).

The two-hour presentation was video-recorded and will be available for viewing at the Emeryville Senior Center.

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For more information, or to report suspected elder abuse, contact the agencies below:

Adult Protective Services – Abuse Report Hotline: (510) 577-1900
Emeryville Police Department emergency telephone number: (510) 596-3737

Senior Resource Guide for Alameda County (PDF)
Emeryville Senior Center – (510) 596-3730
Legal Assistance for Seniors – (510) 832-3040
AARP – (888) 687-2277
Alameda County Social Services Agency – Senior Information & Assistance: (800) 510-2020