THEFT ON 88TH STREET
At 3 a.m. on Jan. 22, a 22-year-old man was walking home on the Upper East Side. On East 88th Street, he told police, three young black males approached him. One of them allegedly said, “Give me your wallet, do you have any money?” Another punched the victim in the face, while the third one kicked him. Then, one of the men went through the victim’s pockets and took his cellphone and wallet. One perpetrator told him to count backward from 1,000, and not to look back because “we know where you live,” and his partner in crime told the victim, “We can shoot you right now.” The assailants then fled on foot. Police searched the area, but no one was found, and no arrests have been made.

MAN HIT BY WOMAN WIELDING CANE
A 46-year-old man was on an MTA bus on Jan. 21 during evening rush hour when he saw a woman in front of him attempt to hit a child with her cane. The man tried to restrain the woman, who then turned around and struck him in the left eye with her cane. A nearby witness, a 48-year-old man from the Bronx, confirmed these events. The 66-year-old woman was arrested for assault, but at most, she will be charged with a misdemeanor.

EX-BOYFRIEND MAKES TROUBLE
On Jan. 20, a 21-year-old woman was returning home to her apartment on East 89th Street when she was approached by her ex-boyfriend. She told police he then proceeded to slap her and drag her down the building stairs. The young woman did not suffer any injuries, but her cellphone was damaged. Police are still on the lookout for the assailant, a 30-year-old Hispanic male, 5’8”, who was wearing a black jacket and jeans at the time of the attack.

PHONE SCAM SNAGS TWO MORE VICTIMS
In what is starting to emerge as a pattern of scams targeting elderly people, an 89-year-old man and 64-year-old female reported getting a phone call from an unknown person on Jan. 17 in their apartment on East 76th Street. The caller claimed to be their granddaughter, saying she had been arrested in North Carolina. The caller instructed the couple to wire $14,700 for bail in California. The victims sent over the money, and soon after, received another call asking for an additional $3,950. At this point, they called their granddaughter, who said that she had actually not been arrested. In total, they were swindled out of over $18,000.

CELLPHONE SNATCHER
On Jan. 17, a 33-year-old woman was walking on Lexington Avenue and East 95th Street, when an unknown woman approached her and started yelling at her in Spanish. The perp then grabbed the cellphone out of the woman’s hand and fled. She was last seen running eastbound on 95th Street. The woman’s iPhone, worth $800, was stolen, and has not been retrieved.

YOUTHS’ PHONES SWIPED

Last Monday, three male middle-school-aged friends were walking down West 83rd Street between Amsterdam Avenue and Broadway, when two unknown male youths approached them. One perp told the boys, “If you don’t give me your phone, I’ll shoot,” and patted his jacket, indicating a hidden gun. One youth gave up his phone, while one suspect grabbed another boy’s backpack and swiped his phone. The muggers warned the victims, “not a word,” and they walked away. In total, one Droid and another cellphone were stolen.

TWO SENIORS SWINDLED
Last Thursday, a 74-year-old Upper West Side resident reported a disturbing discovery to police. After the woman noticed that someone was withdrawing money from the joint account she shares with her 90-year-old mother, she investigated with Chase bank. She was shocked to find that an unknown person had been taking money from her mother’s accounts for the past two years—to the tune of $33,753. The elderly mother had lost her bank card, and her daughter told police neither she nor her mother has any idea who could have gained access to her funds.

I BROKE INTO AN APARTMENT AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS LOUSY LOCKBOX
A 36-year-old woman returned from vacation last Tuesday to find that her apartment on West 81st Street had been broken into. Her glass patio door was shattered, but all that was stolen was an empty lockbox. The break-in occurred sometime between Dec. 31 and Jan. 8. During this time, the only person with access to the apartment was her pet caretaker, the victim said. No arrests have been made.

CON MEN DUPE ELDERLY WOMAN
Last Monday, an 81-year-old woman living at Central Park West received a phone call from a man posing as her grandson, who said he was in jail in Mexico City. Another man, claiming to be a sergeant from the American Embassy, told the woman to send $21,000 in bail. The victim wired over the money. Another man on the phone asked for an additional $1,800 dollars, which she sent over, but the transaction did not go through. Afterward, the victim spoke with her real grandson, who apparently was at work in New York at the time of the phone calls. The con men’s calls emanated from the 514 (Montreal) area code.

CREDIT CARD THIEF MAKES ‘YUMMY’ PURCHASES
A 76-year-old man living at West 72nd Street reported a credit card theft last Tuesday. He had received a phone call from Citibank informing him of unauthorized transactions on his credit card totaling $5,300 made by Yummy Tummy Catering. The victim could not find his credit card, which is usually at home, and canceled the card. The theft occurred sometime between Nov. 26 and Jan. 8.

People entering their retirement can expect a shift from constant work to spending more time developing their creative talents. Many seniors spend their golden years learning how to paint, draw and make pottery at local art classes.

Dr. Gail Lowenstein, a geriatrician and concierge doctor serving the North Shore of Nassau County and the surrounding area, explained that once people retire, they tend to lose their sense of purpose and begin searching for something to fill the gap.

She shared the story of a man who lost his wife and started to paint. Even though he had never painted before, this gentleman had the urge to create artwork and donated it to local charities.
“He found his purpose, and it saved him and got him through a difficult time,” she said.

Throughout Manhattan, there are many places that give seniors the opportunity to embrace the art world by creating their own masterpieces.

For the past 10 years the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan, located on Amsterdam Avenue at 76th Street, has offered numerous art programs, including a class specifically designed for seniors. Elders learn how to paint and draw, with the use of still life and photographs.

Accomplished artist Gene Wiseniewski teaches the class and explained that the program is open to anyone over the age of 50, regardless of prior experience in painting. He also noted that some skilled painters use oil paint while others prefer acrylics.

The program has been a success for the past the few years, and is offered three times a year on Fridays from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

“Seniors are the best to work with, because they are very serious, but they also know how to have fun. They are very inspirational too,” Wiseniewski said.

Another location on the Upper West Side is the Art Students League of New York, which offers a range of classes for those looking to kick-start their creative impulse. For more than 100 years, the league has taught the language of art. Some of America’s most prominent artists have studied at this school, including Georgia O’Keefe, Norman Rockwell and George Bellows.

“Most of our 100 studio classes in drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpture include students ranging in ability from beginners to established artists and ranging in age from their twenties to folks in their seventies and eighties,” said Ken Park, the school’s director of communications.
For seniors who are interested in the arts but not necessarily in making art, they offer a seminar series that discusses classic art and artists through literature.

“Folks love the camaraderie and community of the League. Students learn not just from the professional artist-instructors but also from other students,” Park said.

Putting a spin on art classes is Mugi Pottery, located on Amsterdam Avenue between 108th and 109th streets, which teaches individuals how to mold clay while on a spinning wheel. Mugi’s adult classes allow anyone from the age of 16 and up, but many seniors enroll in the classes.

Offering classes for people ranging from 2 to 102 years old, the Art Studio NY, located on West 96th Street, provides unique painting and drawing classes in an intimate classroom. For beginners, the school offers basic classes such as Oil Painting 101 and Portrait and Figure Painting 101.

Whether it is drawing, painting or sculpting, seniors are exploring and enjoying different aspects of art. By doing so, they are not only learning something new, they are remaining active and continuing to live a healthy, vibrant lifestyle.

Don’t let the title scare, you, folks. I’m not presenting a “system” here. Personally, I’ve never seen a chart or graph designed to help me organize my life that I didn’t intentionally ignore. “Systems” designed by experts never seems to consider my life or personality. They seemed like cardboard cutouts, made for some dream life. Textbook examples often don’t take real life into account. My response to most “systems” would be a quiet, internal “You are not me.”

That being said, tips and thoughts from people whose lives have closely mirrored mine, in at least some aspects, have been generally welcome. I like stories. I like knowing how people make their lives work. If ideas are presented to me that way, I feel the flexibility of personalities and lifestyles blending, and that makes suggestions sound less like demands that I “shape up” and act like other people. I can then assimilate the story, take what works for me and ignore the rest—guilt free.

So, please take my suggestions in that manner. I’ve discussed some ideas with other caregivers, including those who care for elders and one man who cares for a child with disabilities. Our time management techniques aren’t that different. When we care for vulnerable people, we are all much alike.

Expect the Unexpected 

For me, the need to be prepared for anything is mandatory. During my heaviest caregiving years, I cared for two children, one with multiple health problems, plus multiple elders. During their last years, several of my elders lived in a nearby nursing home, while I worked full time, so that care was a blessing. I could visit daily, but still know they were cared for while I worked at my “real world” job.

However, a call to my work phone could mean that I needed to leave work to meet one of my elders at the emergency room, or that my son was very ill. It could mean something as simple as one more errand to run for one of my elders, or that it was time to plan hospice care for an elder. I must say a ringing phone can still, at times, be a scary thing for me, triggering a reaction much like the old days when people thought a telegram meant only one thing: someone had died. Knowing I was somewhat prepared for an emergency did have a calming effect to some degree. It still does. Here’s a little sample of my “plan.” Improvise to figure out what works for you.

My employer allowed me to take vacation by the hour, so I hoarded vacation hours for emergencies and for medical appointments for my care receivers.

I shopped as though I was preparing for a disaster, buying multiples of everything any of my care receivers could possibly want, because they always seemed to want what they wanted immediately, and something inside of me made me think I had to deliver. When my mother died, I threw out three—yes three—bottles of the makeup she liked. Shall we say I was a bit excessive about this?

I kept food around that my son could make for himself, should I be called away to tend to one of the elders, which happened frequently. Again, I often threw out my over-stocked food items, but having all needs met for each individual made me feel better prepared, which meant I felt less frantic.

I filled prescriptions as soon as the insurance companies allowed, knowing that a day could come when one person needed a prescription filled and I was too tied up with the needs of another to run to the store and get that errand done.

Many of us have a to-do list that is so long we feel overwhelmed. That is sometimes called analysis paralysis. Say, your mom wants you to go through her closet and get things organized, but your kids need a school project finished and only you can help. Your employer wants you to get rolling on a “fresh, new idea,” while the Medicaid papers for your dad are sitting on your desk at home. All of the projects are important. Where do you start?

Prioritize

That may seem obvious, but it does help. Make a list, yes, but don’t worry about perfection. Make the list flexible. But do write things down. That helps. I find that crossing off just one thing—even something as simple as getting the special shampoo dad needed—crossed off my list, made my day seem a little easier.

Bite off chunks

Realize that everything you do doesn’t have to be done completely or perfectly. The Medicaid forms need to be filled out accurately, but you don’t have to do it all in one day. The closet cleaning can be done imperfectly. Just do enough to make your mom feel that you are tending to her needs. Let the rest go.

Learn that good enough is good enough. Each and every thing you attempt doesn’t have to be perfect. Expecting myself to do everything perfectly can be my biggest time waster, as I can’t get started if I think I have to do it all to perfection.

Lower your standards

Yes, your mom kept a spotless house. Well, maybe that’s what she did during the day. You are working for several people here. Give yourself a break. Rarely has dusty furniture killed anyone.

Find shortcuts that make you feel better

A quick neatening up, even if it means tossing stuff in a closet, can help some people de-clutter their minds. That can bring some peace. Let the true de-cluttering wait until your life is a little smoother.

Less is more

Try to help others learn this, too. Getting rid of “stuff” and not replacing it can be freeing. I know this is a hard concept to pass on to someone who can’t let go of anything, especially an elder who is now forced to give up so much. But if you live your life with that philosophy, without trying to impose it on others, you may find some of that mentality gets absorbed through osmosis.

Taking Care of Yourself 

In a way, time management is a way of taking care of ourselves. Efficiency in “doing for others” may actually leave us a little time for ourselves. Frankly, for most of us, if we don’t do anything to take care of ourselves, even if it’s finding 20 minutes to take a nap, we’ll become less efficient with everything else, and that can cause a downward spiral. Perhaps, taking care of ourselves should be first on our “time management” list. I thought of that, actually. But I figured everyone would laugh and quit reading.

Do try it, however. Most of us are better people, and better caregivers, if we have a little time to do something we enjoy. Our burning out won’t help anyone. If we look at our priority list, we can surely find something that we can put lower on the list, and scoot up our own health care or mental health break a few notches. If we do that, the other time eaters may fall into place, or get so low on the list we can let them drop off, like dust when we shake a rug.

Good luck with your own list and please let us know if you have other time-saving ideas.

Article courtesy of AgingCare.com, a leading website that connects people caring for elderly parents to other caregivers, personalized information and local resources. AgingCare.com has become the trusted resource for exchanging ideas, sharing conversations and finding credible information for those seeking elder care solutions.

Caregivers are often so focused on managing their parent’s health and financial needs that they don’t even think about their own future needs. Although your focus is on providing care for your loved one, it’s important to think about and prepare for your own future financial and caregiving needs. If you haven’t done it already, now is the time to start planning for own your retirement.

“It’s hard to find the time, but planning for your financial future is a necessity,” says Erika Mielke, a Wells Fargo Private Bank senior wealth planning strategist. “Thinking about the dollars and cents of your own retirement is the best way to ensure you have the funds you need as you age.”

Mielke suggests these tips to help caregivers plan for their own financial future.

Take full advantage of employer programs

If you or your spouse is employed, make sure you are taking full advantage of the financial programs your employer offers. Some examples:

• 401(k) – The 401(k) is set up by your employer and is designed to help you save (and build) money for retirement. The money you contribute to your 401(k) is pooled and invested in stocks, bonds, mutual funds or other types of investments. You choose the type of investment from your company’s list of options. Usually your contribution is deducted from your paycheck before taxes and goes directly into your 401(k) account.
• Company matched contributions – Many companies will make a matching contribution to your 401(k). Your employer might match 10 percent, or even 100 percent of your contribution to your retirement account. This is like getting a bonus, so it pays to put in as much as you can afford. Understand how your employer is matching contributions. Some will match your contributions with company stock. As a result, a large portion of your investment will be in company stock. “Diversification is important. As a general rule, you don’t want more than 10 percent of your net worth in any one asset,” Mielke says. Check with your HR department on rules and restrictions for re-balancing your funds, which would enable you to sell some company stock and re-invest it.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) – Depending on the type of health plan you have, you may be eligible for a flexible spending account. An FSA lets you set aside money, and the funds are taken out of your paycheck before taxes. You can use the account throughout the year to get reimbursed for eligible health care and dependent care expenses (including elderly parent care expenses) However, FSAs are set up and owned by the employer, so how much you can contribute is determined by your employer. If you change jobs, you can’t take your FSA with you. Also, you must use all the money in the FSA by year-end, or you lose it.
• Health Spending Accounts (HSA) – If you have a high deductible health plan, you are eligible to create an HSA. An HSA has different rules than an FSA. The maximum a family can contribute annually is capped by the IRS at $6,250. It is a bank account that you own and you can invest it as you choose. You can only access the amount of money that’s in your account. When you start contributing – in January for example – you will have less money than you’ll have later in the year. An HSA is not “use it or lose it” meaning if you don’t spend all the money in the account by year-end, it rolls over to next year, and you can take it with you if you change jobs.

Explore alternatives

The IRS caps the amount you can contribute to your retirement plans at $16,500. That includes 401(k), 403(b), IRAs, etc. Once you have contributed the matching amount to your 401(k) and if you are able to contribute more, then you will want to explore whether to add more to your 401(k) or whether an IRA might be good for you. Depending on your income, a Roth IRA might be a good choice because the money goes in after you’ve paid taxes. The money grows over time, and when you take it out, you don’t pay taxes on it again.

Don’t “set it and forget it”

Whether you have your money in 401(k), IRA, company stock or any other investment option, keep tabs on where your money is being invested. Too many people make a choice when they sign up for the plan, then let it ride, and never make changes to it. “Don’t set it and forget it,” Mielke advices. “Be involved in how your money is allocated. In most cases, as you get closer to retirement, your portfolio should be shifted to include less risk.” She recommends having a conversation with a financial advisor. If your plan is administered by a financial firm, find out if they have advisors you can speak to. If not, hire one yourself. It’s a critical step in financial planning.

Think about long-term care now

“Caregivers are on the front lines of seeing first-hand how much long-term care facilities cost,” Mielke says. However, too many don’t think about their own long-term care needs. Long-term care is an insurance policy that covers costs that arise when a person needs on-going care including home care, hospice care, nursing home care or care in an assisted-living facility.

Mielke says the best time to buy long-term care insurance is usually in your 50s. That’s when the prices are the best, but it can still be affordable after that. Before you buy, know the terms, and fully understand the policy you choose. Some questions to ask about any long-term care policy you are considering: What are the maximum daily benefits? How long will coverage last? Is coverage transferable between spouses? If you don’t use it, does it turn into life insurance? Does the policy take inflation into account?

Insurance

Another aspect of financial planning is insurance. Do you have the right type of life insurance? There are many different options, such term or whole life available, and finding the right type depends on your personal situation.

Property and casualty is another insurance caregivers should consider. If other caregivers are caring for your parent inside the home, how are they insured? What if they are injured? What is the liability to the homeowner? “Getting umbrella coverage with your property and casualty that is equal to your net worth is relatively cheap, and it prevents against your net worth being wiped out due to an accident,” Mielke suggests.

Legal documents: Key to financial planning

In addition to building a solid financial base, caregivers must have legal documents in place, such as financial power of attorney, healthcare power of attorney, and a will. Each document serves a specific purpose. For example, POA indicates what will happen if you are incapacitated and unable to make decisions for yourself while you are alive. A will covers how your estate is handled when you die. The various financial documents work together to ensure your wishes are carried out.

Legal documents coordinate with financials – which is why they are a key part of good financial planning. Make sure you work with an expert to ensure everything is titled appropriately and that the POA, will, and life insurance documents are examined in conjunction with financial planning documentation.

Not all financial planners are created equal

When it comes to financial planning, don’t go it alone. Every state has different rules; IRS regulations are constantly changing; and legalese can make even the savviest consumer’s head spin. It’s best to work with a professional who will take the time to understand your goals and individual situation and advise you accordingly.

However, not all financial planners are created equal. Some financial planners are tied to specific companies, products and services. These organizations tout “free financial planning assistance.” However the financial planner you work with is incented to sell you that company’s products and services. They are being compensated for the products they sell. A better option might be to find an independent financial planner that is not tied to a particular financial firm. They charge a fee for their services, but you will get unbiased advice, and find the right products for your needs.

Article courtesy of AgingCare.com, a leading website that connects people caring for elderly parents to other caregivers, personalized information and local resources. AgingCare.com has become the trusted resource for exchanging ideas, sharing conversations and finding credible information for those seeking elder care solutions.

Myth: I cannot become eligible for Medicaid because my assets are too high.
Fact: Applicants for Community Medicaid in New York State must have less than $14,250 (for a single person) or $20,850 (combined assets for a married couple).
An applicant’s residence does not count as an asset if the market value of the home, minus the amount mortgaged, is less than $750,000.
Applicants with assets higher than the Medicaid limit can reduce them by spending them down to the limit or by transferring them to a trusted family member or an irrevocable trust. If you have significant assets, you should consult with an elder care attorney about how best to reduce them.
Once you have reduced your assets to under the limit, you are eligible to apply for Medicaid in the following month.

(By Roy Herndon Smith)

Myth: I cannot get Medicaid because my income is too high.

Fact: The Community Medicaid income limits are $792 a month for a single person and $1,159 for a married person.
You can still apply and qualify for Medicaid if you have income over these limits. Medicaid treats such “surplus” or “excess” income as a deductible. For instance, if you are a single person with an income of $1,292 a month, you have a surplus of $500. If you have $1,400 of medical expenses, including home care, in a month, Medicaid will only pay for $900 of those expenses; you will be billed for $500.
However, you can use a pooled income trust to protect your surplus income. Once Medicaid recognizes that you are disabled and are depositing your surplus into a pooled income trust, it will pay for all the covered medical expenses, including home care. You will not be billed for the surplus amount. You can have the trust use almost the entire surplus to pay for your regular bills, such as rent and utilities.

New York City’s Human Resources Administration can take a long time, sometimes over 3 months, to approve Medicaid and Medicaid home care. Applicants, especially when they have surplus income and are using a pooled income trust, often face delays and difficulties and need expert help to deal with them. For these reasons, if you foresee needing Medicaid to pay for home care in the future, you should start preparing to apply now by calling a knowledgeable geriatric care manager or social worker.

Roy Herndon Smith, Ph.D., is with Community Geriatric Care (communitygeriatriccare@gmail.com), a subsidiary of Foremost Home Care.

The May 17 New York Times City Room blog post “A Target Older Than the Jokes at Her Roast” dismissed anyone “easily offended” by Friar’s Club roast jokes. The “older” target was Betty White, “still going strong” at age 90.

But you don’t have to be easily offended to object to jibes about the many vicissitudes of old age that cause so much—often untold—hardship, above all the brain failures that cripple both body and mind and strokes where the mind is painfully aware of a helpless body. My dear cousins, Virginia and Paul, recently departed this life after prolonged suffering from respectively, a stroke and brain failure.

And jokes about countless debilitating developments make elders ashamed, even of using a cane or wrinkles, hair loss and other superficials—forget walkers, hearing aids, dentures and incontinence. “But White is known to get as down and dirty as anyone…and chided the attacks as being too tame.” The “attacks” derided all the above.

These awful ailments need to be cried about—and cried OUT about, for infinitely more empathic understanding and all-out passion to find effective treatment and cures. If only White would include human elders in her animal activist work.

And let’s lament the’s benefit concert’s small audience in the Heavenly Rest Church chapel last Saturday afternoon while multitudes cycled, jogged, scootered and strolled right by on their way to Central Park. Blame physical obsession and spiritual indifference, perhaps?

The latter also endangers the Christian Science Church on East 63rd Street I only learned of because the CEO of Our Town and The West Side Spirit, Tom Allon, has spent most of his adult life providing community news “we need to live by.” So on your 50th birthday, Tom, we wholeheartedly wish for whatever you and your family need most! And, of course, scowl, not laugh at any ageist joke and card in response to your half-century of living.

Join the protest against toxic environments such as those created by Duane Reade’s new zigzagging aisles and lowered claustrophobic ceilings exuding blinding fluorescent lights, which had civic activist Ellie Sankey so stressed she chose a graduation instead of a birthday card and “couldn’t wait to get out of there!” To quote Russell Baker, “Progress strikes again!”

dewingbetter@aol.com

HOSPITAL APPOINTS LGBT HEALTH LEADER
Beth Israel Medical Center announced this week the appointment of nationally recognized LGBT health expert Barbara E.Warren, PsyD, as director of its newly established LGBT Health Services program.
Warren will work to develop partnerships between the hospital and local LGBT organizations and continue to advance Beth Israel’s nationally recognized efforts to meet the health care needs of New York’s LGBT community in a respectful and compassionate environment.
“Beth Israel Medical Center has embraced a unique opportunity to lead the way in establishing and sustaining LGBT affirmative hospital-based and outpatient care,” Warren said in a statement.
Warren served most recently for two years as director of the Center for LGBT Social Services and Public Policy at Hunter College. Prior to that she served for almost 20 years in progressively responsible positions at the LGBT Community Center in the West Village, the last seven as director of government relations, planning and research. She also consults on a number of federal, state and citywide initiatives to eliminate LGBT health disparities and to establish health equity throughout the health care system.
One of Warren’s principal assignments in her new position at Beth Israel will be to develop and implement ongoing, in-house educational programs to ensure that the hospital staff is attuned to the particular health care needs of the LGBT community.

UES RAPIST SENTENCED TO 22 YEARS IN PRISON
Kentrel Whitaker, 33, was sentenced this week for the assault and attempted rape of a 73-year-old woman on the Upper East Side. Whitaker attacked the victim last summer as she was walking on the East River promenade near East 111th Street at 6:40 a.m. He approached her from behind, threw her to the ground and hit her repeatedly before attempting to rape her. A passerby helped tear Whitaker away from his victim, but police were still able to collect DNA evidence they used to achieve a conviction. Whitaker was sentenced to 22 years in prison, followed by 15 years of post-release supervision.

ST. PATRICK’S DAY AT CARNEGIE HALL
This Saturday, March 17, Carnegie Hall will host a St. Patrick’s Day concert featuring Irish band The Chieftains with Paddy Moloney accompanied by folk-rock band The Low Anthem. The six-time Grammy Award-winning ensemble will be performing as part of their Voices of the Ages 50th anniversary tour. As Ireland’s musical ambassadors, The Chieftans are credited with bringing traditional Irish music to the world’s attention. The event will take place in the Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at 8 p.m. Tickets are from $29 to $88, and are available by calling 212-247-7800 or visiting carnegiehall.org or the Carnegie Hall Box Office, 154 W. 57th St.

SENIOR ROUNDTABLE ON CARETAKING
The next session of State Sen. Liz Krueger’s senior roundtable discussions will be held Thursday, March 22 from 8-10 a.m. at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House. The topic, “Beginning the Conversation: Redefining Aging and How We Care for our Elders,” will cover how seniors can begin asking questions about their future care and planning who might be able to help care for them if the time arises when they need assistance.

Ahigial Lee Zhou plays chess at the P.S. 6 Chess Tournament 2012 on March 11.

Alice Fisher, Krueger’s community outreach director, and Frederic Riccardi, director of programs and outreach at the Medicare Rights Center, will be on hand to lead the discussion and answer questions. A light breakfast will be served. 331 E. 70th St. RSVP required at 212-490-9535 or by emailing doremann@gmail.com.

GROCERY STORE AIDS TORNADO VICTIMS
All Fairway locations are continuing a donation and matching drive through this Sunday, March 18 to aid those affected by recent violent storms in the Midwest. At any Fairway in the city (the Upper East Side store is at 240 E. 86th St.), customers can make cash donations of $1, $3 or $5 or purchase a case of water to aid families devastated by the tornadoes that ripped through Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, North Carolina, Illinois, Nebraska and Missouri. Fairway will match all money donated up to $25,000 and coordinate shipping truckloads of water, canned goods and other nonperishable items to distribution centers in the affected states.

CATHEDRAL HIGH STUDENT VIES FOR POETRY PRIZE
Cathedral High School student Dionne Muyalde is among the top 10 finalists in the Poetry for Peace contest, a competition that has used the power of social media to gauge the power of student poetry. The contest asked students to respond to the stories of atomic bomb survivors from Japan, known as hibakusha, by writing verse poems. In the monthlong competition, 741 poems were submitted and people voted for their favorites on social media sites.
Muyalde’s poem, entitled “Hiroshima Hibakusha,” was selected as a finalist based on criteria, including the poem’s connection to a hibakusha testimony, its relaying a message of peace, the structure of the verse, the overall impact of the poem and the number of “likes” the poem received.

A few years ago, one of the residents of a West Side senior center began to sell their neighbors an alternative to Con Edison.

“They began to sell to them a different kind of lighting company,” said Micki Navarro, director of the Manhattan Valley Senior Center. “Well, it was all a scam. And they had to put a deposit down to get this.”

It wasn’t until one of the seniors mentioned it to one of the center’s social workers that they were finally able to start tracking the crime and looking for the scammers. By then it was too late.

“We traced it to somebody we couldn’t really trace,” Navarro said.

This isn’t an anomaly. Many elderly New Yorkers know the traditional safeguards to prevent pickpockets and burglaries. But, because they prey on trust, scammers can be much harder to avoid.

According to Ken Onaitis, head of the elder abuse department at the Carter Burden Center for the Aging, many scammers target the elderly, who can often be lonely or vulnerable.

Ageism is another reason scammers seek out senior citizens. Some see seniors’ physical or mental limitations as an invitation to go after them. Navarro said scammers target some elderly victims because of mental issues like depression, Alzheimer’s and dementia.

“Those people who commit the fraud, they know all of this,” she said. “They prepare. They do research and watch. They watch their prey and they attack when they know it’s the right time.”

Because scams can happen in person or by mail, phone or computer, there’s no sure-fire rule to avoid scams. But common sense is the best way to keep out of the crosshairs of con artists.

“If an offer sounds too good to be true,” Onaitis said. “It probably is.”

Here are some common scams to be wary of:

• While the mail is still used, email and computer-based scams are more common today. Never give out your social security number, bank information or other sensitive information over the Internet unless you absolutely trust the source on the other end. Even then, it’s good to make sure you verify as much as you can and never give money to people you don’t know.

• Phone scams are also common, according to Onaitis. Some scammers call dozens of people a day trying to gather sensitive data or sell fake products.

“The main thing is that if you get someone on the phone requesting information, trying to get information out of you, just hang up,” said Onaitis.

• According to Navarro, another common scam is those who wait until seniors receive social security money. When seniors go to withdraw money from ATMs, some people follow them home and try to sell them things.

• Make sure you feel comfortable with the person on the other side of the door before you open it. If someone says they are in a position of authority, always ask them for identification.

Navarro said that many seniors grew up when door-to-door salespeople were much more common. Some scammers take advantage of that trust to enter people’s homes. “They don’t know who they’re letting in,” she said.

The first thing anyone should do if they feel scammed is call the police in the precinct in which the crime happened. Many people are ashamed to admit they’ve been had.

Beyond the police, there are resources like the city’s Department for the Aging and community organizations like the Carter Burden Center, which help people respond to scams and go to court if necessary.

Still, prevention is much more simple than the cure. People should take simple steps to keep all personal information private and never give money to people based on a promise, because once scammed, it can be very hard to get the money back.

“Usually when the money’s gone, the money’s gone,” Onaitis said.