HOULTON, Maine — The Houlton Rotary Club met for its last luncheon meeting of its fiscal year. President Matthew Nightingale announced the officers for the next fiscal year. Julie Delano would have been the next president, but she has moved away. Nightingale agreed to continue as president when the board recommended the idea. The current sergeant-at-arms Nate Bodenstab will move into the vice president position with Tracy Rockwell taking on the sergeant-at-arms for the 2017-2018 year.
The annual dinner will take place on June 19 and will feature music by Paul LaPointe and Scott Walker and will take place at the Shiretown Inn.
Nightingale had a special presentation to give. Dale Flewelling received $1,500 for his Friends of Aroostook organization. This past year they helped 23 food pantries and Meals on Wheels providing fresh vegetables from their extensive farm. The organization is revolving back to its roots by involving youth in the growing and harvesting.
Rotarian Tony Bowers introduced his guest speaker from Legal Services for the Elderly from Augusta, Betty Balderston. Balderston is an elder abuse prevention advocate. Balderston in turn introduced her husband, Roy, who accompanied her on her trip from Augusta, and Hilary Fernald, the attorney from the Presque Isle office of LSE.
LSE was created in 1974 when states opted to use some of their Older Americans Act (Title IIIB) funds to provide care or the elderly. At that time one attorney served five offices around the state of Maine.
Today there are still five offices but many more attorneys and paralegals on staff. Balderston spoke about elder abuse as a community problem with a community solution. The mission of LSE is to provide free, high quality legal services to Maine’s socially and economically needy elderly aged 60 and over. LSE works to prevent devastating abuse and neglect to tens of thousands of people in Maine.
Balderston spoke of the “red flags” to watch for with seniors such as physical or emotional changes. Financial exploitation is seen a lot but not talked about enough. Illegal taking, misuse or concealment of funds and taking possession of property assets happens too often with vulnerable adults. Exploitation is done by family members in the form of borrowing a credit card and overcharging, taking over with power of attorney and misusing that power, and even taking over a property and evicting the parent from the home. Trust is abused by the perpetrator. Cases rate at 71 percent by family members, 19 percent by spouses and 6 percent by friends and neighbors. One out of nine seniors citizens in the State of Maine experience elder abuse. And these are only reported cases.
Balderston explained that to protect these victims, concerned people might notice an appearance change, change in cleanliness, health and personality changes such as being less communicative, noticeable injuries or no longer going out to events or not paying bills. All of these signs can be evidence of abuse. Concerned people should ask questions and encourage the victim to call 911 or Adult Protective Services at 1-800-624-8404. LSE can be reached at 1-800-750-5353, and their website is www.elderabuseprevention.com, for more information.
The Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence and The Aroostook Agency on Aging are also available for assistance. Balderston advised to watch, listen and do something to help others in need. The victim must be the one to make the call however and assisting them to do so is fine.
