Gathering in Mobile aims to decrease reports of elder abuse across Alabama

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month and the number of reported cases in Alabama are alarming.

“It’s gone up 125% just in Alabama alone since 2013,” explained Dorothy Dorton with AARP Alabama. “Last year there were over 12-thousand reports of elder abuse and financial exploitation.”

Numbers like that make Dorton worry.

“I think it’s happens so often and what really concerns me is what we don’t hear about — you know, those instances that are never reported or someone may not realize what’s happening is elder abuse or financial exploitation,” said Dorton. “That’s what really concerns me.”

She was one of several people that gathered to raise awareness about this issue. She along with other members of the organization and other individuals that work to decrease the number of times elder abuse occurs met at a senior citizen center in Mobile for an awareness meeting.

“I came because I am a senior citizen and I wanted to see as much information and knowledge as I could gain and I thought this would be a good starting place because I have been a victim of abuse at times it seems because of my senior citizen category,” said one attendee, Herman Parks.

A common type of elder abuse highlighted during the gathering was financial exploitation.

“Some of the reason I came was to hear what do we need to report, how do we report, who do we report to in order to get some of this to stop because they get so confused,” said another attendee, Pam Bishop.

Attendees received information from the Mobile police department’s financial crimes unit stating that common scams affecting our area include both phone and online scams like contractor fraud, romance scams and fake fundraisers. The department also advises caution when choosing a caregiver and doing everything you can to protect your finances.

They also suggest avoiding clicking on suspicious websites or links, ignoring calls from numbers you don’t recognize, refraining from giving out information online or over the phone, not mailing checks, etc.

Anything that looks like it could be a potential finger mark or a grab mark, are always things you wanna look for … as far as financial exploitation …check those statements regularly for them and just make sure there are no red flags,” Dorton further explains.

To report these types of crimes in Mobile, contact the Mobile Police Department Financial Crimes Unit at 251-208-7240, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office at 251-574-8633.

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