The two-day event features live entertainment, talent and writing contests, seminars, a dedicated health and wellness area and more than 100 organizations and businesses, connecting thousands of attending seniors and caregivers from Illinois and the surrounding states with information, resources and fun. In addition, the Northeastern Illinois Agency of Aging's free, August 30th seminar, "Beware & Be Aware: Top Senior Scams and Financial Exploitation" will offer practical tips to help protect yourself, your parents and your grandparents. The seminar is lead by Cherie Aschenbrenner with the Elgin Police Department and Lt. Kevin Williams with the Kane County Sheriff's Office. Together, they will explain many common scams and what people can do about it.
Most common scam is:
- Ruse Entry -- wherein someone poses to be a city worker and needs to enter home under the ruse of needing to check water pressure.
- There are countless variations on scams like these, all of which are designed to gain access to your home.
- For example, a scam that has been very prevalent this summer is where the fraud artists looks for people (particularly senior citizens) that may be out in their yards or garage; may inquire about helping out the senior with yard work, trimming trees due to the recent storms we have had, or introduce themselves as a new neighbor who needs to check lot lines.
- All of these approaches are trying to lure the senior out of their garage or house to get them to the back yard and distract them while a second person enters their home, goes directly to their bedrooms looking for jewelry, money in dresser drawers and even prescription medicines.
- It only takes a few minutes before your valuables are gone.
What should people do if they find themselves in a situation like this?
- If you do not know the person who approaches you outside or even at your front door, do not let them in your home and do not go to the backyard or basement with them.
- Call 911 immediately. We can help you make sure that the person is who they say they are, and that they have a legitimate reason to be there.
- Many seniors tell police they were reluctant to call because they `didn't want to bother us." You are NOT bothering the police.
Additional Resources
http://www.SeniorLifestyleExpo.org
The Northeastern Illinois Agency on Aging's 16th Annual Senior Lifestyle Expo, Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 30-31 The Drury Lane-Oak Brook Terrace, Ill.
The cost to attend the daytime expo is $3 at the door, or $2 with a printed web coupon available at http://www.seniorlifestyleexpo.org/coupon.website.pdf
Expo attendance is not required to attend the free crime prevention seminar Tuesday evening. The event will begin at 6 p.m. and end at 8 p.m. Other organizations scheduled to be in attendance and provide information during the after-work event include: Aging Info Radio; Comfort Keepers; Gottlieb Memorial Hospital's Geriatric Behavioral Health Care Unit; the Northeastern Illinois Agency on Aging; Prudential Financial and The Private Bank.
Senior Lifestyle Expo proceeds benefit the Holiday Meals on Wheels Program of the nonprofit Agency on Aging, which provides nutritious meals to elders in need on holidays and weekends when the weekday Meals on Wheels program is closed.
The Northeastern Illinois Agency on Aging
(800) 528-2000 or (630) 293-5990.
www.AgeGuide.org.
