World Elder Abuse Awareness Day: Marion sheriff offers tips for protecting senior citizens

In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods is offering tips to ensure that senior citizens in Marion County know how to protect themselves.

World Elder Abuse Day creates an opportunity for communities around the world to promote a better understanding of the abuse and neglect of older persons by raising awareness of the cultural, social, economic, and demographic processes affecting elder abuse and neglect.

Sheriff Woods is an Officer on the Board of Directors for Marion Senior Services, a nonprofit social agency that provides supportive care services to elderly, disabled, and disadvantaged residents of Marion County.

In order to be better protected every day, Sheriff Woods wants senior citizens to remember the following:

• No one has the right to hit you, to treat you like a child, or to humiliate you.
• No one has the right to take your money or to hurt you.
• No one has the right to yell at the elderly or threaten them.

If you know of, or have reasonable cause to suspect elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation, Sheriff Woods encourages you to call the confidential Elder Abuse Hotline at: 1-800-96-ABUSE (22873). Anyone seeking immediate assistance should call 911.

There are numerous scammers who target elderly members of the community. To avoid becoming a victim of identity theft, Sheriff Woods is offering the following tips:

• Never carry a social security card.
• Never give out personal information over the phone.
• Never print identification numbers on checks.
• Never answer unsolicited emails that ask for your personal information.
• Always remove mail promptly from your mailbox.
• Always review statements and bills promptly.
• Always shred personal mail and information with a shredder or scissors.
• Always stop mail when you are on vacation.

The younger citizens of Marion County can also help protect local seniors by checking in on them to ensure that they are okay. If you suspect that a senior citizen has been victimized, call the Elder Abuse Hotline at: 1-800-96-ABUSE (22873).