Welcome to the NYC Elder Abuse Center’s (NYCEAC) July 2015 roundup of the latest in elder justice news & resources. We’ve selected and analyzed the most helpful articles and resources relevant to elder justice professionals. If you would like to share a news item or resource with us, please contact us at info@nyceac.org or via our Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.
NEWS
In the Media
Making White House Aging Conference’s Ideas Reality
A Forbes article, written by Bob Blancato, summarizes the four priority issues addressed at the 2015 White House Conference on Aging (WHCOA). Elder justice was a key focus of the conference with policy, educational, and public/private partnership solutions discussed. A policy announcement of note: The U.S. Department of Justice has committed to train prosecutors from all 50 states to prosecute elder abuse and financial exploitation. Additionally, the Department of Health and Human Services launched a new section of their website dedicated to aging prior to the conference. This website hosts an abundance of information for the public, including a page dedicated to elder justice resources.
Victims of Crime Act Revised to Support Elder Abuse
A Department of Justice ruling to be released by the end of the year revises the current Victims of Crime Act Victim Assistance (VOCA) Guidelines by “clarifying that VOCA assistance funds may be used to support legal services for crime victims, and emphasize the need to use VOCA funds to support social and legal services to underserved victims, including elder victims of abuse, financial exploitation, fraud and neglect.” Read more about VOCA and other announcements from the White House Conference on Aging, on the official White House Fact Sheet.
U.S. Senate Passes Legislation to Provide Senior Support Services
The 50th anniversary of the Older Americans Act (OAA) was marked by its unanimous reauthorization. The OAA secures vital programs and services for nearly 12 million low-income older adults including nutrition programs, preventive health services, transportation assistance, part-time community service and employment training, and protection from abuse and financial exploitation. Click here to learn more.
California Case Illustrates Dangers of Annuity Frauds
As reported by Consumer Affairs, a California insurance agent was sentenced to over nine years in prison and ordered to pay $3.4 million in restitution of an annuities scam that targeted elders. Annuity fraud is a growing concern and this article highlights resources for consumers.
Protecting Dementia Sufferers from Scammers Gains Ground in U.S
As highlighted in a recent Reuters article, several states are enacting laws that provide brokers the ability to temporarily stop transfers of money if they have reason to believe that their client has dementia and is possibly being financially abused. Brooke Astor’s grandson, Philip Marshall, notes that laws like these would have helped protect his grandmother. Learn more about the Astor case from our blog posts, Lessons from the Astor Elder Abuse Case, and Elder Justice for Victims & Loved Ones.
Swindlers Target Older Women on Dating Websites
Online romance cons are on the rise and often target women aged 50-60, according to a recent New York Times article. Con artists can hack into dormant profiles, take control of them, and use them to contact other members on dating sites. These scams often use similar language and storylines to convince people to part with their money. This article highlight several stories and includes a link to RomanceScams.org, which details red flags of scams as well as photographs used in known scams.
RESOURCES
Reports, Videos & More
New Technical Assistance Brief
The National Adult Protective Services Resource Center (NAPSRC) has issued a new Technical Assistance Brief titled Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act: Implications for Adult Protective Services, authored by NAPSRC Consultant Candace Heisler. The brief provides an overview of HIPAA and what it means for APS, as well as tips on how APS professionals can navigate the world of health records. View the brief here.
National Center for Victims of Crime – Financial Fraud Recovery Checklists
The National Center for Victims of Crime and FINRA Foundation have co-produced several checklists for consumers to assist them in recovering from financial abuse. View the Checklists here.
Conferences, Trainings & Events
Elder Abuse Training for Judges
The Enhancing Judicial Skills in Elder Abuse Cases Workshop will be held August 23-26, 2015 in Atlanta, GA. This workshop addresses elder abuse topics using hypothetical case problems, role-playing, small-group workshops, and faculty demonstrations. The highly interactive format enables judges and judicial officers from different jurisdictions and levels of experience to learn from one another as well as from faculty experts. Click here for more information.
National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA) Annual Conference
The theme of this year’s NAPSA conference is, APS: Providing Help and Hope to Vulnerable Adults. The conference will be held September 29 – October 1, 2015. It will be followed by their 6th Annual Summit on Elder Financial Exploitation on October 2, 2015. For more information and to register, please visit the NAPSA website.
Elder Abuse Training for Prosecutors
The National Institute on the Prosecution of Elder Abuse (NIPEA) will be held on November 10-13, 2015 in Denver, CO. This course will be hosted by AEquitas: The Prosecutors’ Resource for Violence Against Women and is open to prosecutors only. NIPEA is designed to provide substantive knowledge and practical skills to prosecute cases of elder abuse. Curriculum topics include an overview of elder abuse including the dynamics prevalent in these cases, interviewing older witnesses and victims, competence and capacity, typical defense justifications, ethics and professionalism, Crawford and its progeny, and sentencing. For further information, please contact Christina Supinski, Communication and Operations Manager, at csupinski@aequitasresource.org.
Employment Opportunities
NYC Elder Abuse Center (NYCEAC) is seeking a Social Media Assistant
The NYC Elder Abuse Center is seeking a part-time consultant for the role of Social Media Assistant. Please click here to view the full job description and contact Cara Kenien at cak2017@med.cornell.edu with questions and/or to apply.
NYC Elder Abuse Center (NYCEAC) is looking for a Temporary Data Management Assistant
NYCEAC is looking to immediately hire a Temporary Data Management Assistant to provide support with collecting data related to elder abuse cases seen by the Manhattan EMDT. For additional details about the position, click here to view the full job description. Please contact Sarah Dion at szd3001@med.cornell.edu with questions and/or to apply.
NYC Elder Abuse Center (NYCEAC) is looking for a Program Assistant
We are also seeking to fill the full-time position of NYC Elder Abuse Center (NYCEAC) Program Assistant. Please click here to view the full job description and contact Sarah Dion at szd3001@med.cornell.edu with questions and/or to apply.
New Job Post from Brooklyn Legal Elder Abuse Program (LEAP)
Serve as a Social Worker at Brooklyn Elder Abuse Program (LEAP) with JASA, metropolitan New York’s largest not-for-profit organization serving the aging population. Click here to view the job listing on Idealist.
RELATED STORIES
News & Resources Roundup – June 2015
News & Resources Roundup – April 2015
