Local Seniors Attend Senior Summit

The following was provided by the office of Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey.

A group of Walpole residents joined District Attorney Michael Morrissey at his 2012 Senior Summit,  learning how criminals target older citizens, ways to avoid becoming a victim, and hearing from a national expert on the phenomenon of hoarding.

“Criminals target senior citizens for a number of reasons – many have accumulated substantial assets, from homes owned outright to retirement savings,” District Attorney Morrissey said.

Local seniors including John J. and Barbara Crossen joined Chief of Police Richard Stillman, the Walpole Police Honor Guard and Fire Chief Timothy F. Bailey, Jr, at the event, held at Christina’s function hall in Foxborough.

Members of the audience volunteered information from their own experience that memory problems, physical disability or injury, hearing problems, embarrassment, and a fear of losing independence have led to seniors being targeted by criminals.

DA Morrissey and assistant district attorney Phil Burr also reinforced some of the warning signs seniors should look for: people who come door-to-door offering home repair or other services; ask for more than 1/3 down on a home repair project; insist on being paid in cash; or start doing work before getting your permission.

“I was very pleased to have Christina Bratiotis, co-author of ‘The Hoarding Handbook,’ present on the growing public health and safety problem of compulsive hoarding in our communities,” District Attorney Morrissey said. “This year we asked the senior center directors and area professionals what safety topic they would most like to hear addressed at the summit, and hoarding was the clear first choice.”

In addition to Bratiotis’ presentation on current research into hoarding and what friends and professionals can do when they recognize its signs, the District Attorney presented every town’s COA head, police chief or fire chief a reference copy of “The Hoarding Handbook.”