The Thompson Seniors Community Resource Council marked World Elder Abuse Awareness Day June 15 with a well-attended barbecue at Rotary Place where attendees got a crash course in some of the types of scams that seniors and other people fall victim to.
“We just wanted to say thank you to all of you for being part of your community,” said council resource co-ordinator Lee Pickett. “In this room are so many people who worked their whole life and you’ve paid taxes and you’re law-abiding citizens of your country and of your city and we wanted to say thank you as the Thomson Seniors Resource Council. There’s so many things going on in our city that need to be fixed as far as seniors being connected. Resources are available to you. We are working to try to make your life, your retired life, much more pleasant in the City of Thompson.”
Pickett said that people aged 55 and over make up 17 per cent of Thompson’s population and Mayor Colleen Smook – one of that age cohort herself – said that the number has doubled over the past 10 years, which is why she picked Coun. Judy Kolada to be a member of the recreation and community services committee.
“We’ve got to start recognizing our seniors and finding out what we can do for them,” said the mayor, who believes getting older people mentoring youth could help alleviate some of the crime and social problems affecting Thompson. “I keep having visions that we’re going to be able to use us 55-plus group to maybe do some activities in the evening helping the kids to cook, read, do homework and that, so be prepared, I’m coming after you. I really think we have to start somewhere and it’s by engaging these youth and showing them respect. They have respect for their elders usually back in their community so let’s show them respect and let’s get our elders in Thompson working with them.”
Thompson MLA Kelly Bindle said he preferred to think of those over 55 not as seniors but as “experienced people.”
“You’re very experienced people,” he said. “We have lots to learn from you.”
During a presentation on scams, Chris Fritz reminded attendees that they should never share bank account information over the phone or in emails and that giving out their personal identification number (PIN) to their debit card could leave them responsible for transactions they didn’t authorize.
“Don’t ever give any information at all,” she said. “If you give your PIN number out to somebody, whatever they do, they do on your behalf and you’re responsible for. If you give your sister your debit card and you say, 'Will you get me a few groceries?’ and she goes and takes $500 out of your account, you’re responsible for that.”
Fritz also said that other common scams included employment scams and romance scams where people get sent cheques for large amounts of money and are asked to deposit them and then transfer a large percentage of the money back to the person who sent it.
“The person who is scammed is the one on the hook for that and that’s a lot of the reason why banks have holds on cheques,” she said. “It’s not just protecting the bank. It’s protecting you as well.”
CIBC is planning an upcoming seminar for seniors, Fritz said, and there is an elder abuse conference planned for Thompson in the fall.
Pickett closed the pre-meal portion of the barbecue by reminding those present that problems can’t get fixed if those in power don’t hear about them.
“Community involvement is so vitally improvement to improving the services that come your way,” he said. “The squeaky wheel gets the grease is the old expression. Our leadership in the city, our MLA’s office, our MP’s office, all of these folks are looking to help us live a better life. I can honestly say that I believe every last one of them have our interests at heart so feel free please to talk to them about things you see where an improvement needs to be made in our community.”
