Senior scams, home safety to be topics of free Senior Safety Summit Aug. 31 in LaSalle

Suzanne Nolan Wisler, The Monroe News
·3 min read

LaSALLE – A panel discussion is new at this year's Monroe County Senior Safety Summit. The annual event will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 31 at LaRoy's Hall, 12375 S. Telegraph Road. Registration is due by Aug. 18.

Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough speaks at the Monroe Center for Healthy Aging about scams and how to avoid them. He'll give a presentation on scams at the Monroe County Senior Safety Summit on Aug. 31 at LaRoy's Hall.
Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough speaks at the Monroe Center for Healthy Aging about scams and how to avoid them. He'll give a presentation on scams at the Monroe County Senior Safety Summit on Aug. 31 at LaRoy's Hall.

Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough will speak about common senior scams at 11 a.m. The directors of two centers for older adults are looking forward to the presentation.

“He's very knowledgeable about scams that are actually occurring in Monroe County. He's seen and heard it all,” Sandie Pierce, director of Monroe Center for Healthy Aging, said.

“I look forward to hearing the sheriff’s presentation on scams and watching the reaction from the participants,” Paul Iacoangeli, executive director of Frenchtown Center for Active Adults, said. “Our population is often the targeted group, so they will undoubtedly benefit."

Monroe County Opportunity Program staff also will speak in the morning.

A discussion on home safety will begin at 11:25 a.m.

“Home safety for our aging population is a significant concern,” Iacoangeli said. “A few small changes in your home can make the difference between enjoying your home or being in a hospital bed.”

Lunch will be served at 11:50 a.m. A $5 cash donation is suggested. The menu will be announced.

A safety and scam discussion panel will begin at 12:15 p.m.

Panelists will talk about both senior scams and home safety and will take questions for the audience, Jon McLanahan, summit chair, said

“The goal is to cover senior scams and home safety so seniors are not being taken advantage of and so they can take precautionary steps at their home to make their environment a little safer for them,” McLanahan said.

Panelist are:

  • Brian Merkle from Merkle Funeral Service and a volunteer firefighter. He will discuss home safety.

  • Brian Sparks, a bank protection officer for First Merchants Bank. He will discuss bank scams.

  • Brian Springsdorf from Monroe Home Care Shoppe. He will discuss home safety.

  • Jerry Acciaioli from CAPs Remodeling. He will discuss ramps and grab bars for houses.

Sponsor and vendor tables will open at 10 a.m.

Fourteen area sponsors and vendors will have tables: Monroe Center for Healthy Aging, Monroe County Opportunity Program, Monroe Family YMCA, Monroe County Commission on Aging, Health Van, Monroe County Library System, Visiting Angels, Williams Insurance, CAPS Remodeling, Neighborhood Legal Services, Better You Home Health, ProMedica Hospice, Dundee Senior Center, Bedford Senior Center, Frenchtown Center for Active Adults’ Dementia/Adult Day Care.

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“There will be all kinds of information. Vendors and sponsors will have their own tables. They give away documents and booklets. Some also have promotional gifts,” Jeff McBee, one of the summit organizers, said.

“Monroe County has a vast array of senior service providers, and the summit providers an opportunity to learn  about them in one place,” Pierce said.

Prize baskets also will be awarded at 12:50 p.m.

The first summit was held in 2015.

“Our goal is 100 (attendees). Usually we are close to that,” McBee said.

“We’ve attended every year,” Pierce said. “The summits offered by the Monroe Aging Consortium are a wonderful opportunity to learn about current topics in a comfortable setting where we can also visit service providers and learn what they have to offer. All older adults will benefit from attending.”

To register or to learn more, contact the Monroe Commission on Aging at 734-240-3290 or MCCOA@monroemi.org.

“The committee always does an outstanding job putting the Safety Summit together, and this year will be no different,” Iacoangeli said. “Folks should take advantage of the summit, but they must register. They will not regret it.”

The Monroe County Senior Safety Summit is sponsored by the IHM Senior Living Community, Area Agency on Aging 1-B, Humana, Visiting Angels, Rehabilitation Hospital of Northwest Ohio, Trinity Health, Sobaks, Monroe Home Care Shoppe, Vibrant Life Senior Living and Merkel Funeral Service.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Senior scams, home safety topics of free Aug. 31 Senior Safety Summit