| The 21st Annual William J. Neff, Sr. Symposium on the Prevention of Crimes Against Older Adults September 19, 2024 8:00-8:30 Registration & Continental Breakfast 8:30-9:00 Welcome & Acknowledgements Speakers: Kathy Bennett, Director, Bucks County Area Agency on Aging Representative from Bucks County Community College Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia, LCSW, Bucks County Commissioner, Chair Jennifer Schorn, Bucks County District Attorney 9:00-9:30 Keynote Address During his presentation, Judge Fritsch will address the new PA Guardianship Law, history and impetus behind changes/updates within it. It went into effect in June 2024 and further assists in the protections of those it is meant to safeguard. 9:30-10:15 Panel: “Guardianship” Speakers: Honorable C. Theodore Fritsch, Jr., Bucks County Court of Common Pleas; Eric Marttila, Esq., Guardianship Review Officer, Bucks County; Valeria Snow, Esq., SeniorLaw Center This panel is a discussion of the implementation of the guardianship statute changes and how guardianship cases will be addressed in Bucks County going forward.
10:15-10:30 Break/Networking/Resource Fair (Registration Area)
10:30-11:55 Workshops
A. "Older Adults & Gambling” Speaker: Josh Ercole, Executive Director, PA Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania Today, more people have access to, and are participating in, gambling activities than ever before. Older adults are no exception. While the majority of the population is able to gamble without developing any issues, there is a small percentage of people who are unable to maintain responsible levels of play. Unfortunately for these individuals, this often progresses to a point where several areas of their lives are impacted in a negative way. Research indicates this is a common co-occurring disorder among individuals who are experiencing mental health issues and/or experiencing substance use issues. This is often the case with the aging population. During this workshop, participants will learn about the problem, how it often develops, warning signs that are often displayed, and most importantly, what help is available. With a focus on older adults, discussion will also include ways to maintain responsible levels of participation, in an effort to avoid problems from developing, or becoming worse.
B. “Case Study Law & Prosecution”: Part I Speakers: Deputy DAs, AJ Garabedian, Marc J. Furber and Detective Landamia The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office has been at the forefront of prosecuting those who physically and financially exploit older adults. This presentation will highlight some of the great successes they have been able to achieve in the courtroom. The goal is to provide examples of the abuse that older adults face and the pitfalls in prosecuting them. This presentation is open to all but does include video that some might find disturbing. C. “Empowered Futures for Seniors: Financial Literacy and Fraud Prevention” Speaker: Paula Power-Watts, Executive Director, Credit Counseling Center This breakout workshop aims to equip seniors with the knowledge and tools necessary to manage their finances confidently and protect themselves from financial fraud and scams. Participants will learn about budgeting, credit management, and recognizing and avoiding common financial scams targeting older adults.
12:00-1:00 Lunch (Gallagher Room) & Resource Fair (Registration Area)
1:00-2:25 Workshops
A. “Case Study Law & Prosecution”: Part II Speakers: Deputy DAs, AJ Garabedian, Marc J. Furber and Detective Landamia The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office has been at the forefront of prosecuting those who physically and financially exploit older adults. This presentation will highlight some of the great successes they have been able to achieve in the courtroom. The goal is to provide examples of the abuse that older adults face and the pitfalls in prosecuting them. This presentation is open to all but does include video that some might find disturbing.
B. “Understanding the Psychiatric Issues of Dementia” Speaker: Linda Shumaker, RN, GERO-BC, MA, Optimize Aging This presentation will focus on the psychiatric complications of dementia affecting both individuals afflicted with the disease as well as their caregivers. According to the Alzheimer’s Association 2023 Facts and Figures approximately 6.7 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Up to 90% of these individuals with dementia may, at some point during the disease process, suffer from psychiatric symptoms including depression, anxiety, delusions, and hallucinations. These symptoms can result in suffering, premature institutionalization, increased cost of care, and loss of quality of life for the individual and their caregivers. This program will review the psychological and behavioral symptoms or neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia, discuss risks of depression for both professional and family caregivers, review interventions, identify evidenced-based protocols, and provide resources for professionals and caregivers. C. “Intimate Partner Violence in Later Life (60+)” Speaker: Lindy Keefe, Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Training and Technical Assistance Specialist In this workshop, there will be a presentation and discussion about Intimate Partner Violence in Later Life. We will define IPVILL, identify ways it can present in survivors, discuss best practices for working with this population of survivors, identify services offered by local domestic violence programs and how best to refer to these services, and overall work to create a culture of support for these survivors and their communities.
2:25-2:35 Break & Snack
2:35-4:00 Workshops
A. “Combatting the Growing Trend of Financial Elder Fraud” Speakers: Adam Sucheski, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Supervisory Special Agent; . Sean Ahearn, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Special Agent; Beth Baird, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Intelligence Analyst; Mackensie Weilnau, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Forensic Accountant This presentation will focus on the increase in elder fraud, different ways seniors are being scammed, including romance frauds, tips and tricks to prevent being victimized, and ways to report being scammed to law enforcement. Over the last several years, the FBI has seen an alarming increase in financial fraud crimes targeting seniors (60 years and older). In 2023, seniors reported through the FBI’s Internet Crimes Complaint Center (IC3) suffering almost $3.5 billion in losses from financial scams, accounting for the largest dollar loss of any age group. This number represents an 11% increase in losses by seniors from 2022. As of mid-June 2024, losses this year will likely mirror 2023 numbers with more than 45,000 victims over age 60 already reporting losses of an estimated $1.6 billion.
B. “Crime Victims Compensation and What is Covered for the Elderly” Speaker: Erika Martel, Claims Review Officer, Pennsylvania Victim’s Compensation Assistance Program (VCAP) This breakout session includes a comprehensive exploration of the Pennsylvania Victim’s Compensation Assistance Program, its eligibility requirements, and its benefits that can be offered to elderly individuals who have been victims of crime. The session will include information on how to assist an individual with filing a claim, information on the claim process, average length of time before an award is made, and some helpful tips and tricks on how to make the claim process more efficient.
C. “Ethical Issues Confronting Interprofessional Teams” Speakers: Terri Simon, Risk Manager and Patient Advocate: Doylestown Hospital Rev. Margaret J. (Maggie) Ainslie, Director, Pastoral Care, Doylestown Health Case studies outlining the overlap of interprofessional teams in confronting ethical issues in elder care will be presented. The focus will include ethical dilemmas, priorities of vulnerability, and opportunities for clear improvement in elder care. The speakers will facilitate group discussion to share ideas and model interdisciplinary approaches.
4:00-4:15 Closing Remarks Speaker: Kathy Bennett
4:15-4:30 Evaluations, Conclusion and Raffle |
