Author Archives for Herb Weiss

Make sure abuse of the elderly is no longer a ‘dirty little secret’

Published in Pawtucket Times on October 5, 2015 

Last September, 86-year-old Martha Smith (not her real name) woke up in the middle of the night to a loud noises coming from the first floor of her East Bay apartment. When she went to investigate the commotion, she found her granddaughter in the kitchen. When Martha asked her granddaughter what was going on, the young woman started to verbally and physically abuse her. At one point, she even tried to suffocate Martha with a pillow.

Martha’s other granddaughter came to her aid, only to be assaulted as well. When the police arrived after Martha had tried to call 911, the phone had been ripped out of her hand by her abusive granddaughter, but they heard Martha’s screams of help coming from the house.

According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, the granddaughter was arrested and is now awaiting trial.

We grow up being taught to respect our elders. But, it seems these lessons are not learned or even followed. Martha’s abuse by her granddaughter is a sad tale, but it happens all too often to our nation’s elderly.

Elder Abuse Growing The National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse defines domestic violence on elders as “an escalating pattern of violence or intimidation by an intimate partner, which is used to gain power and control.” And the perpetrator of the violence is not always a spouse, but more often than not it is a family member, as was the case with

Herb Weiss Martha Smith. Victims may be fearful to report the abuse to doctors or law enforcement for fear of the violence escalating, or because the victim relies on the abuser or their family for caregiving.

The National Center on Elder Abuse has reported that during calendar year 2010, there were nearly six million reported cases of elder abuse, representing nearly 10 percent of that year’s elderly population. The Center acknowledged that it really have a handle as to how many people are suffering from elder abuse and neglect, either because signs of abuse and neglect are missed by professionals working with older persons, or because of a reluctance on the part of the abused person to file a report.

America’s “dirty little secret” is getting worse by the graying of America’s population. The numbers are growing – the 2010 United States census recorded the greatest number and proportion of people 65 and older in its counting history: 40.3 million or 13 percent of the population.

Attacking Elder Abuse in R.I. In Rhode Island, cases of domestic violence against older people are handled by specially trained prosecutors and victim advocates at the Office of Attorney General. And, there are special laws on the books that provide for enhanced criminal penalties for assault of a person of 60 years of age.

“We have specialized prosecution units for those who commit domestic violence against older people,” said Attorney General Peter Kilmartin. “The dedicated prosecutors, victims advocates and support staff in our Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Unit and Elder Abuse Unit deal with these cases each and every day, working to bring justice for victims while minimizing their emotional trauma. Our domestic violence and elder abuse prosecutors and victim advocates are all specially trained to handle the highly sensitive details of domestic violence cases, which are often extremely emotionally charged,” he notes.

In 2014, the General Assembly passed legislation that allows the release of patient records for investigation and prosecution of physical assault on an older person if a health care provider believes, after providing services to the elder patient, is or has been physically, psychologically or sexually abused.

“Due to the nature of elder abuse crimes, time is of the essence. The victims in these cases are often vulnerable and face a myriad of health challenges, thus making a timely investigation more critical to ensure the victim’s availability to participate in the investigation and prosecution” added Kilmartin. “Moreover, the perpetrator of elder abuse is most often known to the victim, making it less likely for the victim to report,” he says.

AARP Tackles Elder Abuse Across the United States “Abuse of older Americans, whether it be physical or financial, is unconscionable. That’s why AARP is fighting in states across the nation for new laws to crack down on abuse and financial exploitation and strengthen protections for victims so all Americans can live with dignity and independence as they age,” says AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond.

AARP national staff, state chapters and volunteers are in the trenches fighting against elder abuse and exploitation. According the nation’s largest aging advocacy group, adequate funding must be given to preserve and strengthen the states adult protection services agencies. These agencies investigate complaints about abuse, neglect and exploitation of adults who are unable to care for themselves or make decisions due to mental or physical impairment, illness or a crisis in their lives.

In 2014, AARP advocated for increased funding and to ward off efforts to cut funding for the agencies in five states: Arizona, Ohio, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming.

AARP also calls for better prevention and detection of financial exploitation of the nation’s elderly. While states legislatures look at different ways to addressing this issue, many create task forces, even enact new legislation to address this abuse. According to the Washington, D.C. based nonprofit, last year, seven states enacted bills to protect their older residents against abuse and exploitation: Florida, Kansas, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Oregon, Virginia and here in Rhode Island.

In 2014, the General Assembly passed a law supported by AARP Rhode Island that extended the statute of limitations for cases of financial crime against the elderly from three years to 10 years.

Meanwhile, both Iowa and West Virginia adopted legislation last year to increase criminal and civil penalties against perpetrators of financial exploitation and to update the definition of financial exploitation.

Finally, uniform laws focused on adult guardianship and power of attorney not only support those who provide caregiving across state lines, but also create processes to help protect older people against abuse and exploitation. Six states, including Rhode Island, passed uniform adult guardianship or power of attorney laws in 2014, and this year additional states have already introduced legislation. Abuse at Any Age No matter a victim’s age, domestic violence and abuse is about the perpetrator trying to gain power and control over their victim. Domestic violence against older people can include physical, psychological, sexual and economic abuse, stalking, and tactics meant to isolate the victim from other people and supportive services October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the statistics are alarming. According to the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, 24 people per minute are victims of physical violence, rape or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States. One in four women, and one in seven men, will be a victim of domestic violence at some point in their lifetime. On average, three women are killed every day at the hands of a current or former intimate partner. Being in Rhode Island, with statistics like that, chances are you know someone who has been abused.

Help is available. In 2014, over 400 senior Rhode Islanders received domestic violence victim services from the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence (RICADV)’s six member agencies. The RICADV’s member agencies provide a wide array of services for victims, including hotline support, emergency shelter, support groups, counseling services, and assistance with the legal system.

In addition, specialized shelter and other services are available for older victims of domestic violence through a partnership between the RICADV and the Saint Elizabeth Community. For more information about these organizations and services, call the statewide Helpline at 800-494-8100. If you hear or see someone being hurt, call 911 immediately.

Polls Say that America Gives Big Thumbs Up to Pope Francis

Published in Pawtucket Times on September 29, 2015

On a whirlwind trip to Washington, D.C., New York City and Philadelphia over five days, from Sept. 22 to Sept. 27, Pope Francis, 78, has a jam packed public schedule for his first visit to the states.  While the media has released dozens of political polls over the last few months giving statistical predictions readers as to who is the GOP presidential frontrunner, last week they published poll results about the popularity of Pope Francis as he toured this country.

America Loves Pope Francis

With the Pope Francis’ arrival to Washington, D.C., to address Congress, a CNN/ORC Poll finds the Catholic pontiff has a high approval rating across the country and most Catholics approve of his comments even those considered controversial.

The pollsters say that almost 50 percent of Americans and 78 percent of Catholics note they are looking forward to the Pope’s first trip to U.S. soil.  While the Pope’s positive views have decreased slightly since December 13, 9 months into his papacy, three-quarters of Catholics still view him in a positive light.

The telephone poll, conducted from Sept. 4-8 among a random national sample of 1,012 adults), finds that the Catholic Church itself is viewed positively by 60% of the respondents, while 63% view Pope Francis favorably. Among Catholics, the church (88% favorable) outperforms the Pope (74% favorable).  The researchers note that this percentage difference may be due to Catholics who say they’re not sure about Francis rather than from negative impressions.

Comparing a worldwide snap shot of the Pope’s popularity to this country, the CNN/ORC poll findings indicate that non-Catholics (61%) say they have a positive view of Pope, the first Jesuit priest and Latin American church leader, and just over half of these individuals are looking forward to his American visit. Even those with a negative view of the Pope (17%) say they are looking forward to this month’s visit.

A recently published New York Times/CBS News poll also supports the CNN/ORC poll findings, that American Catholics like their Pope.  Eight out of 10 of his United States followers give thumbs up to the direction the church is taking under the Pope’s leadership, including a majority who approve strongly.

The telephone poll, conducted from Sept. 8 and 14 with Catholics on both telephone and land lines, also found that more than six in 10 Catholics worldwide view him favorably compared to just 3 percent who just don’t like him.  Pollsters say that his positive job approval ratings might be tied to his position on same-sex marriage, abortion, woman issues, immigration and distribution of wealth.

Another national poll, commissioned by Fox News, before Pope Francis’ arrival to this country, also found that the religious leader’s visit is viewed positively across the country and with Catholics, too.

Sixty-eight percent of Catholics view Pope Francis favorably.  That increases to a 73 percent favorable among Catholics who attend Mass almost every week, say the findings.  Among all voters, 55 percent have a positive opinion of the pope.

The telephone poll of 1,013 registered voters found the Pope is more popular among Catholic women (74 percent) than Catholic men (62 percent). The poll findings indicate that his comments on political issues, such as climate change and income equity, did impact on how Republicans and Democrats perceived him.

According to the Fox News’ poll, 38 percent of those who identified themselves as “very” conservative had a positive view of Pope Francis while only 35 percent of those respondents affiliated with the Tea Party movement viewed him favorably. However, among Democrats respondents, nearly two-thirds had a positive opinion of the pope (65 percent), while just over 50% of these voters  feel that way about the Catholic Church (52 percent favorable).

About half of all voters polled (51 percent) and three-quarters of Catholic (75 percent) have a favorable view of the Catholic Church in general.  Those attending Mass frequently (83 percent), view the religious institution favorably.

50-Plus Americans Favor Woman Catholic Priests

Finally, AARP, the nation’s largest aging advocacy group recognized for gather opinions of 50-plus Americans on health, finances and later life issues, puts Pope Francis on its polling list because his trip to the United State is considered to be “one of the most topical issues of the day.”

In this national telephone AARP poll, older Americans were asked their thoughts about the head of the Rhode Catholic Church’s leadership.  When asked “Do you think Pope Francis is leading the Catholic Church in the right direction?” seventy six percent of the respondents agreed. Thirty five percent of these respondents indicated to the pollster that they were Catholic or had at one point been a practicing Catholic.

Additionally, the AARP poll sought the respondent views about women becoming ordained as priests in the Catholic Church, a controversial and heated issue to many practitioners.  Of those surveyed, 66 percent of the older 50-plus respondents favored the change.  For this poll question, 37% indicated they were Catholic or had at one point considered themselves.  Of these respondents, 70% said the Pope should consider women priests.

Finally, the AARP telephone poll tossed in a question about the afterlife, asking the older respondents whether they believe in heaven and hell. Of those survey, 72 percent said they did.

With Pope Francis concluding his trip and heading back to Rome, last week poll findings indicate that the Pontiff is well liked by the American public and his flock, and that he’s leading his Church in the right direction. With the voters angry about continued political gridlock inside the Washington, D.C. beltway, presidential and congressional candidates can only pray to get Pope Francis’ off the chart polling numbers.

Lupo Celebrates 40th Anniversary with Five Nights of Music

Published in Woonsocket Call on September 20, 2015

Rich Lupo, 66, acknowledges that time flies by fast. In fact his namesake music venue, Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel, celebrates its 40th Anniversary next month.   We sit at the Cup & Saucer, a retro-fifties decorated diner on Pawtucket’s historic Main St., reminiscing over four decades of being actively involved in Rhode Island’s music scene.

In September 1975, although primarily a blues club, Lupo’s became the first venue operating in the Capitol City to embrace all types of live music. The Brown University graduate opened Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel at 377 Westminster Street (a 4,000 sq. ft. former retail store) after unsuccessful attempts to a find a location in Fox Point & North Main St.  Ultimately, his decision to open up that club (followed soon by The Met Café & The Living Room) led to a revitalization of Providence’s music scene.

The Early Years

In his early years, Lupo remembers working long hours as a house painter during his college years and after and saved up the $15,000 to start his bar.   As a teenager, he would tell others how cool he thought it would be to open a bar, with people dancing to records playing from a jukebox and listening to live bands. The young club owner dreamed of having Bo Diddley and other rock & roll heroes play on his stage.   This would happen.

According to Lupo, it turned out that customers only showed up on live music nights. So, while the jukebox stayed, band nights soon expanded from one to seven nights per week. The Heartbreak Hotel became a home to bands well-known for blues, rock n roll, country rock, jazz – that came to New England looking for a gig.  Many local favorites — including Roomful of Blues, Rizzz, Wild Turkey, The Young Adults, Schemers, NRBQ and Max Creek – played there and continue to do so.

Lupo says that the first national act at the club was harp player Big Walter Horton in November 1975.  In 1976, teaming up with independent booking agent Jack Reich allowed the club to expand past blues to rock and beyond. That year, The Ramones played his club.  In 1977, Lupo’s had Bo Diddley week – 9 consecutive sold out shows with Bo backed by The Young Adults. Over the next few years more rock n roll and blues icons appeared at Lupo’s: James Brown, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Muddy Waters, Iggy Pop, The Pretenders, The Go Gos, Stevie Ray Vaughn — to name just a few.

Being Forced Out by Condo Development

In 1988, Providence downtown gentrification would force Lupo close his initial club.  Reaching out to a college friend & realtor, he found his new digs at the former Peerless Department Store, reopening in 1993. The new space was great because, though large, it still had a sense of intimacy.

With its’s 10,000 sq ft of space, the club could do more and larger concerts.  The space also annexed The Met Café, an intimate venue for smaller touring acts and local bands. At The Met, customers saw the early shows of future stars such as Dave Matthews, Oasis, and White Stripes.

At this 2nd Lupo’s, the first shows were Belly and Meat Loaf. Later, the club hosted acts as diverse as Ziggy Marley, Hole, Radiohead, Garbage, Willie Nelson, Green Day, Foo Fighters, Anthrax, and even Tony Bennett.

In 2003, the club was again forced to move and Providence City officials suggested the Strand Building on Washington Street. But the club had to share this space with the existing NV dance club, a separately owned business.

At its new location, there was no room for The Met. It would take 7 years for Lupo & his wife, Sarah, to reopen The Met, just three miles away at the Hope Artiste Village in Pawtucket.

Ending our conversation, Lupo looks back and quickly rattles off some of the ups and downs of the last 40 years.  Although there were plenty of both, Lupo best remembers realizing the dream of his heroes playing his stage and countless nights of joyous audiences – taking some of the sting out of spending 15 of the 40 years fighting evictions.

But, Lupo remains even-keeled by following advice from his eighty year old friend, Chuck Lynch, who always says “Just keep jogging in place.”  If he follows this advice I expect him to remain in business for another 40 years.

The Upcoming Anniversary Celebration

Lupo’s 40th Anniversary Celebration will take place on October 7 – 11, 2015 at The Met, Hope Artiste Village, 1005 Main St. Pawtucket.

Here are the details:

Wednesday, October 7 —   Max Creek $10 (Adv), Doors 6PM | Show 7PM

Thursday, October 8 — “40 Years of Rhody Blues” –  Hosted by Duke Robillard & featuring Al Copley, Rich Lataille, Greg Piccollo, Doug James, Carl Queforth, Marty Ballou, Marty Richards, Rob Nelson with Special Guests: Ken Lyon & James Montgomery. $10, Doors 6PM | Show 7PM

Friday, Oct. 9 — The Schemers, Neutral Nation, Jungle Dogs and Rash. $10, Doors 6PM | Show 7PM

Saturday, October 10 — Rizzz.  Members of the Wild Turkey Band
& Friends featuring Tom Keegan. $10, Doors 6PM | Show 7PM

Sunday, October 11 – The Young Adults, Georgie Porgie & The Cry Babies. $15, Doors 6PM | Show 7PM

For more details, call 401-331-5876 or go to www.lupos.com & http://www.themetri.com