Sonoma County District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua and Supervisor Valerie Brown will participate in an Elder Protection Summit, April 8 at Vintage House. The event will provide vital information and resources to seniors and those who have seniors in their lives.
“Our seniors are vulnerable and it is critical that we protect them,” stated Passalacqua. “During these difficult economic times, elder abuse can become more prevalent. Prevention and community involvement are critical ways to reduce the financial, physical and emotional abuse of the elderly.”
Panel speakers will provide detailed information and answer questions on a variety of elder abuse and protection issues including neglect, physical and psychological aspects of elder abuse, financial scams, safety issues, in-home care options, trends in fraud committed against the elderly and cases currently being prosecuted by the Sonoma County’s District Attorney’s Office.
The April 8 event will be the fifth in a series of countywide conferences to raise public awareness about elder protection issues. Some 90,000 county residents are aged 60 and over, representing about 18 percent of the population.
The free summit, sponsored by the Sonoma County’s District Attorney’s Task Force on Elder Abuse, is scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon at Vintage House, 264 First St. E. in Sonoma. RSVP’s are requested by April 7. Call 996.0311 or e-mail info@vintagehouse.org to reserve space.
Judy Rice, chair of the Sonoma County Human Rights Commission said, “All too often, we assume that the seniors in our lives are not susceptible to the scams and neglect we read about in other places. These summits provide invaluable information about danger signs, as well as what resources are available to victims of abuse.”
Productive events have been held sat Oakmont, Cloverdale, Sebastopol and Guerneville, and several more are planned at locations throughout the county.
“The district attorney has provided strong leadership in sponsoring and supporting these efforts,” Rice said.
The Elder Protection Summit is a partnership with the Sonoma County Law Enforcement Chiefs’ Association, the Commission on Human Rights, the Council on Aging, the Elder Financial Protection Network, Human Services Department Adult and Aging Services, Senior Advocacy Services and the California Association for Health Services at Home.
