PPD Reaches Out To Educate Older Population
By Cherri Gregg
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Today marks the second day of the Philadelphia Police Department's Senior Safety Expo.
The goal of the Senior Safety Expo is to empower Philadelphia's older population with information that will help keep them safe at home and in the community.
"They're getting taken advantage of in so many ways...and people are doing things to them that are unacceptable," says Kevin Bethel, Deputy Police Commissioner. He says about a dozen agencies, department and non-profits have set up tables at various locations across the city with details on the latest scams and schemes.
"We make these assumptions that our senior community is on the Internet, but they are not. So you have to get out and physically touch them...and they want a piece of paper in front of them," he says, "we hope to make sure if they encounter things they are unsure about where they can call to get information."
Non-profits like CARIE - the Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of the Elderly - provides a free hotline offering all types of support, says program manager Lori Walsh:
"We do everything soups to nuts," she says, "we can give them free health insurance counseling, prescription drug coverage, home modification issues, if they've been a victim of fraud...who they can call."
You can reach CARIE's hotline at 215-545-5728.
Other agencies attending the expo include: Philadelphia Police Department, PA Office of Attorney General, Philadelphia Corporation for Aging, Town Watch, Senior Law Center, Water Revenue, PGW, Philadelphia Fire Department, Budget Mobile, TD Bank, AARP, Victims Services, Elder Witness, District Attorney's Office, Human Relations, Community Legal Services, CARIE, Hoarding Task Force, New Courtland, ACare Pharmacy (you can discard your non-narcotic drugs), Behavioral and Mental Health, City Controller's Office, Coalition for Hunger, and more.
The Senior Safety Expo ends Friday. Locations are as follows:
August 6th 10am - 2pm:
Northeast: Klein Jewish Community Center 10100 Jamison Street
Central: The Watermark @ Logan Square 2 Franklin Town Blvd.
August 7th 10am - 2pm:
Northwest: New Courtland 6950 Germantown Avenue
South: Tolentine Recreation Center 1025 Mifflin Street
August 8th 10am - 2pm:
East: Norris Square Senior Citizens Center 2127 Howard Street
Southwest: Southwest Senior Center 6916 Elmwood Avenue
Please register by calling 215-685-1158 or email: Roslyn.downing@phila.gov for more information.
