Experts estimate that for every case of elder abuse reported, there are another 4 that go unreported. That’s unsettling considering that last year nearly 3,000 elder and dependent abuse cases were reported to Shasta County Adult Protective Services. APS has seen an increase in financial exploitation, the county’s most common type of elder abuse. Such scams may involve false romance, pressure or lies to get seniors to purchase gift cards or use multiple other fraudulent methods to gain access to their finances and personal property. Sadly, it’s social isolation that puts seniors at such high risk of being scammed. Shasta County has a 24 hour hotline to report possible elder abuse at 225-5798. To recognize Elder Abuse Awareness Month, hundreds of little purple flags will be planted Monday morning at Redding City Hall and Tuesday morning at North and East Center Streets in Anderson. Purple ribbon static wraps have also been placed on many local public safety agency vehicles. Information on fighting elder abuse, and about activities taking place this month, can be found at shastaadultprotectiveservices.com.
-Steve Gibson