Tag Archives for AARP Rhode Island

Aggressive Scams Popping Up All Around the Ocean State

Published in Woonsocket Call on November 25, 2015

On Thursday morning, Mary Smith (not her real name) received a phone call from Sergeant Bradley from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office claiming she had missed jury duty and because so, there was a warrant issued for her arrest. Concerned, the older woman asked the man, who identified himself Sergeant Bradley, what she needed to do to fix the problem. She was instructed to go to a local CVS, purchase a pre paid debit card in the amount of $300 and to meet him in the parking lot of the Washington County Courthouse.

Thinking quick, Mary reported the troubling call to her local police. Like many older Rhode islanders, she had been a target of an aggressive scam now sweeping through the Ocean State, called the “jury duty scam.”

According to the Attorney General’s Office, in the latest rendition of the scam, an individual is calling Rhode Islanders claiming there is a warrant out for their arrest for failure to appear for jury duty. The individual, identifying himself as “Sergeant Bradley,” from either the “Washington County Sheriff’s Office,” the “South County Sheriff’s Office,” or the “Newport County Sheriff’s Office.” The caller ID shows the individual is calling from the 401 area code.

Here’s the scam

“Sergeant Bradley” tells the people he calls that they will be charged with a felony for failure to appear for jury duty and will then be held at the ACI for 30 days, after which they will be brought before Judge Suttell.

In order to avoid being arrested the scammer urges the individual to make an immediate payment using a pre-paid debit card. Mary did not fall for this old scam. It has been reported that at least one person paid more than $900 before they realized they were tricked.

Attorney General Peter Kilmartin calls on anyone receiving a similar phone call or threat to contact either the Rhode Island State Police to report the incident. Kilmartin says, “The individual making these phone calls has just enough information to make themselves sound legitimate.” This information, however, is readily available on the Internet to anyone with access to a computer, he notes.

“It is very important for anyone who receives a similar phone call to write down as much information as possible, don’t provide any personal information to the individual over the telephone, do not pay any money, hang up, and contact the State Police,” adds Kilmartin.

The state’s Office of Attorney General provides the following details about judicial process to keep Rhode Islanders from becoming a victim of the “jury duty scam.”
• Neither the Jury Commissioner nor the Rhode Island Sheriff’s Department makes telephone calls to prospective jurors threatening arrest or demanding that a fine be paid or a bond posted. If a juror who has been legitimately summoned in writing fails to appear, the Jury Commissioner will attempt to make contact and arrange to reschedule his or her service.

• Sheriffs in Rhode Island are a division of the Rhode Island Department of Public Safety and primarily work with the Courts. Unlike most other states, Rhode Island does not have sheriff departments based in counties. Each city and town has its own local police department.

Constant Vigilance Key to Fighting Scams

According to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission list of top consumer fraud complaints last year, more than 6,200 Rhode Island residents were victims of imposter scams.

“These latest Rhode Island scams underscored the need for constant vigilance,” observed AARP Rhode Island State Director Kathleen Connell. “We like to remind people that when people hear about a scam, the first reaction often is ‘I’d never fall for that.’ Well, maybe that’s because you just read about it in the news. People need to remember that they are most susceptible to the fresh scam no one is talking about that comes out of the blue.”

AARP’s Fraud Watch Network, Connell said, is one way to keep current. If you register for the free service you can receive alerts via smart phone or your computer when a new scam surfaces. You also can report a scam going around your neighborhood that is shared across the network, she added. If you’re not connected to the Internet, you can receive alerts and tips via a quarterly newsletter mailed to homes (Lean more and sign up at http://www.fraudwatchnetwork.org).

“Identity theft and fraud costs seniors billions of dollars nationally – in most cases, money that has been set aside for retirement, “Connell noted. “Impersonating police officers, federal agents or financial service companies, scammers use their “authority” to scare a person into paying them. Or, they pretend to be a friend or loved one in trouble who needs money.

“We’re committed to fighting back,” Connell declared, noting that one recent effort was a “reverse boiler room” operation.

In September, Connell and AARP Rhode Island volunteers Alan Neville of Cumberland and Carlo Gamba of West Greenwich met up in Boston with more than 50 others. Borrowing a favorite tactic the con artists’ playbook, AARP Fraud Watch Network staff and volunteers from New England and New York operated their own telemarketing boiler room. Instead of hearing from scammers, local residents received tips and information on how to protect themselves from imposter scams.

Strong Connections Protect Seniors from Scams

“Friends and family are key partners in protecting senior citizens from financial exploitation,” remarked Elderly Affairs Director Charles Fogarty. “Isolation is a major reason that people get victimized, so ensuring that senior citizens living in the community have strong connections to family and friends helps to protect them from scams and exploitation.”

The Department of Elderly Affairs (DEA) monitors fraud and scam reports from a number of sources, and distributes those notices to a network of approximately 500 partners in the community. If the victim of a scam is referred to DEA, they immediately contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit. DEA does not investigate instances of scams perpetrated by strangers, but does investigate financial exploitation of an older adult by family or acquaintances.

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.

Still Getting the Job Done

Survey: Many Choosing Part-Time Work in Post Retirement Years

Published in Woonsocket Call on September 13, 2015

In 2010, when Michael Cassidy retired as Pawtucket’s Director of Planning & Redevelopment after working for the municipality for 40 years he had no intentions of easing himself into full-time employment.   While he was retiring to “retirement” he had every intention to remain active for the rest of his life.

Cassidy instinctively knew that retirees, who stay active by playing sports, traveling or even volunteering, always seemed to live longer.  His father was a good example of this belief, living to the ripe old age of 92.  Before the nagenarian died he had worked part-time as realtor, also playing in an Golden Oldies softball league and umpiring three times a week.

Part-Time Job Gives Many Bennies

With Cassidy planning to retire at age 62 from the City of Pawtucket, he went to see Paw Sox President, Mike Tamburro asking him, “Do you have a job for an old retired guy.”  Ultimately, he took the position as usher at the Pawtucket-based McCoy Stadium.  He says, “The job keeps me on my feet four to five hours.” Each game he puts around 15,000 steps on his pedometer.  But the job also allows him to interact with old friends and even gives him an opportunity to make new ones, too. .

There are additional benefits of having a part-time job, besides just getting physical active and having an opportunity to mingle with people, says Cassidy.   He now has more time to spend with his six grandchildren, travel with Jane-Ellen, his wife of 45 years, and to just putter around his home.  Now he even serves as Chair of the Blackstone Valley National Heritage Corridor Organization, he says.

Like Cassidy, according to a new AARP released last Tuesday, older Americans are not choosing to retire, many are now seeking part-time jobs in their post retirement years, not full-time ones.

Work the New Retirement Activity

According to the findings in the 26 page AARP report, “AARP Post Retirement Career Study,” work seems to be the “new retirement activity.” While many Americans state that they plan to retire between ages 65 and 70 (45%), the data indicates that the typical retirement may have changed.  Thirty seven percent say they plan to work for pay in post retirement.  Of these respondents, 73 percent desire a part-time job and almost half are looking to work in a new field (44%).  Twenty three percent will stay in the same field, and 33% are undecided.

The researchers say that connecting with co-workers, interesting and challenging work, and the desire for a work-life balance are all stated as top reasons why work is enjoyable. Some are seeking to pursue their dream job or dream field in this next stage of life.  Sports, hospitality,  and education fields are frequently cited.  Most are hoping that their new dream jobs will be part-time, flexible with work from home options, and allow time for travel and fun.

The findings also indicate the importance of job training for those who plan to work during their retirement years.  Among those who plan to enter a new field, training is seen as even more crucial to succeeding on the job (46% vs. 36% among those staying in the same field).

Meanwhile, when asked about what they enjoyed most about their current career, most mentioned income, benefits, and the schedule/work-life balance.

According to the AARP survey, regardless of the field, respondents are hoping to work part-time (73%), with over half expecting to work for someone else (57%) vs. being a contractor (21%) or starting their own business (19%).

Personal contacts and job listings are the primary avenues respondents say they use to find post-retirement work (49% and  43%, respectively). Professional networking is also a popular way people plan to find work, note the researchers.

When questioned about their dream job, many respondents talk about a profession, for others it may be a particular type of working lifestyle.  Jobs in the sports, creative, hospitality and education fields are mentioned frequently by the respondents while those looking for lifestyle benefits seek flexibility, lucrative, opportunities to travel, and employment with a charitable aspect to it.

.AARP’s efforts to look into how people spend time in their retirement years is the first  survey of this kind and there are no comparative stats from previous years, says Kim Adler, AARP’s Work and Jobs Lead.

The findings suggest that there are major implications for employers, adds Adler.  “Americans are living longer, healthier lives and we will see a continuation of the long term trend of working into retirement years. Nearly 19 percent of 65 and older workers are in the workplace and the percentages – as well as the actual numbers – are likely to continue to rise. This will give employers the opportunity to hire and retain experienced workers who look forward to the opportunities and challenges in the workplace,” she says.

According to Adler, “there are shortages of skilled workers in certain industries and many employers report difficulty filling jobs. For these jobs – and all others – employers and employees benefit from an intergenerational workforce that encourages mentoring and knowledge sharing.”

Great Wealth of Experience

“The survey gives us a better picture of what retirement looks like today and, likely, well into the future,” said AARP Rhode Island State Director Kathleen Connell. “But it also is a conversation starter about the value of older workers. Older Rhode Island workers represent a great wealth of experience and accomplishment at every level of the workforce.

“Employers should embrace the willingness of people to work part-time after 65 or 70 as a “golden’ opportunity, if you will. And this is especially true of startups, where wisdom is a critical success factor. Growing the Rhode Island economy might depend on synergies of young innovators guided by experienced leaders and managers.

Adds Charlie Fogarty, Director of the Rhode Island Division of Elderly Affairs, “Many older adults look at retirement as a transition period, and not a defined point in time in their lives.” He notes, “This population has a wealth of experience and knowledge that can be shared while working part-time, making for a more productive and richer work experience for all employees.”

“Our new research shows a fluid workplace, with many experienced workers looking for flexible part-time work in interesting and challenging positions to continue their careers,” said Kim Adler, AARP’s Work and Jobs lead.  “The new website [AARP.org/Work] will help experienced workers control their careers and stay connected, competitive and current in the workplace,” Adler added.

This AARP survey, overseen by Gretchen Anderson, AARP Research, was fielded online from July 27 to August 3, 2015 and conducted among adults age 50-64 who are currently employed full time.  A total of number of 4,975 surveys were completed. The final data has been weighted to U.S. Census for analysis.