American Legion fights back against veteran-targeted scams

By Eric Mock

Elderly veterans being targeted by scammers
Those fighting elder abuse warn about scams that target elderly veterans. They say most cases go unreported.

According to the FBI, each year elderly Georgians lose tens of millions of dollars to fraudsters. 

Leaders of the North Georgia Elder Abuse Task Force say elderly veterans can be particularly vulnerable to these scams. 

"We have a lot of targeting of everyone over the age of 65 and veterans' groups are one of those groups that frequently get targeted," said Dan Flynn, former Chief of Marietta Police and current Deputy Law Enforcement Coordinator for the Task Force.  

Flynn says these scammers have no qualms about going after America’s finest.  

"These people are trained professionals who are trained in the psychology of victimization, they know how to establish a rapport with you, and they are absolutely heartless," Flynn said.  

Last year, Georgia ranked in the top ten states in the U.S. for the most money lost by those over 60 to scammers. 

He says there are so many cases we don’t even know about. 

"Only on in roughly 40 scam cases is ever reported to the police at all," Flynn said.  

Flynn says right now, Vietnam veterans are some of the most vulnerable because of their age. 

"The most common type of scam we see among veterans are romance scams," Flynn said.  

That’s why he and the Task Force try to educate veterans. 

At the American Legion Post 29 in Marietta, Commander Jeff Garland says they’re very aware of how often their members are targeted by scammers.  

"It’s our responsibility to help them out and be in a position to at least advise them on some of the ways they can and may be getting scammed," Garland said.  

That’s why he says once a month they invite the North Georgia Elder Abuse Task Force to come speak to the veterans there.  

Flynn shared some of the tips he usually shares with the veterans.  

"Make sure you never send money to someone you haven’t met. You can’t win the lottery if you didn't play. The police will never call you to tell you they’re coming to arrest you," he said.  

He and the task force routinely travel the northern part of the state talking to different American Legion posts. 

Full Article & Source:
American Legion fights back against veteran-targeted scams

Our Turn

 

When Veterans grow old or become disabled, it's our turn to help them.  Over 40,000 Veterans are homeless.  We don't even know how many suffer elder or guardianship abuse.

It's our turn. 

Mobile DA: Group home elder abuse victim tests positive for COVID-19

The Mobile County Sheriff's Office says the scribbled out portions of this photo marks out where a person is in the bed and another is in the chair.

by Toi Thornton

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) -- The Mobile County district attorney tells FOX10 News one of the victims in a group home elder abuse case has tested positive for COVID-19 and others suffer from pneumonia.

“These individuals are all being treated in the hopsital now for various illnesses including pneumonia and COVID. They needed treatment at the facility and were not given that treatment,” said District Attorney Ashley Rich.

While DA Rich maintained the home is not a boarding house, one of the suspects' attorney Dennis Knizley said it is.

“This is a boarding house. This is not a group home. This is not a nursing home,” Knizley said. “Like any other boarding house they provide 3 meals a day and some minimal cleaning. That’s what they do. They’re not the caretakers of these people.”

Deputies with Mobile County Sheriff's Department said Wednesday the elderly veterans had no access to food and water, the a/c was broken, the fire alarm wasn't functioning and the refrigerator and cabinets were padlocked.

“I was there at the scene when it unfolded and it was deplorable. It was horrific conditions. It’s the worst possible thing that I could imagine that we could do to a veteran as a society. These individuals are going to be held accountable for what they did,” DA Rich added.

Knizley argues these allegations are overblown.

“You’ve seen these pictures of locked up refrigerators and things like that, that’s only after 5 o’clock. All during the day they have ample access to food and meals. After 5 o’clock they have snacks in their room, they have water and that’s like any other place,” he explained. “Air conditioning units in ever room, working. The smoke detectors were taken off the wall they’re fine. Where these allegations come from, you heard one that there wasn’t no one there for a week. This is totally untrue.

Deputies also found a large amount of prescription medication at the Owens' home. Knizley said they were 2 or 3 years old.

"Some of the people  that are living there, they take their medication, they don’t take it all or they get and change their prescription. They have left over medication. Those left over medications, you don’t want to leave them around the place for someone to pick up and use. They take them from the boarding home to their own home and don’t just leave them out for someone else to use. Yes they could’ve discarded them,” Knizley explained.

After authorities discovered the conditions at the group home in Grand Bay earlier this week, they made two arrests.

Donny Owens, 49, owner of One Life Management, was arrested and charged with one count of first-degree elderly abuse and neglect and five counts of elderly abuse and second-degree neglect.

Tilena Kim Owens, 49, also was charged with several counts of elder abuse and neglect.

Both have been released on bond, according to Mobile County Metro Jail records.

“This is a very, very large investigation and we have multiple disciplinarian chains from all over the state and country that are looking at this because it is veterans,” Rich stated.

The Mobile County Sheriff's Office describes the facility involved as an unlicensed group home for elderly veterans.

It was Tuesday evening, deputies said, when one of the six elderly veterans living in the home left to get help for two others who had fallen.

Full Article & Source: 
Mobile DA: Group home elder abuse victim tests positive for COVID-19

See Also:
Second person charged with elder abuse, neglect over Grand Bay group home

Man charged with multiple counts of elder abuse and neglect in Grand Bay
 

Second person charged with elder abuse, neglect over Grand Bay group home

Tilena Owens, left, has been charged with elder abuse and neglect, as has her husband Donny Owens.

By Lawrence Specker

A second person has been arrested in the case of a Mobile County group home where authorities say six veterans were found in “deplorable” conditions this week.

Meanwhile a Mobile County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman said the MCSO was working with federal investigators on the case. Another sheriff’s department official said that the six residents remained hospitalized and that authorities were working to establish whether other properties owned by the home’s operators might also be used as group homes.

Jail records indicated that Tilena Kim Owens, 49, was booked into Mobile County Metro Jail shortly before noon on Thursday and remained there early Thursday afternoon. She was charged with one first-degree count of elder abuse and neglect and three second-degree counts.

She is the wife of Donny Boyd Owens, also 49, who was booked into the jail Wednesday morning. Jail records indicated that he also remained in jail Thursday afternoon. He faces one first-degree count of elder abuse and neglect and five second-degree counts.

An MCSO spokeswoman said investigators had determined that the Owens had received federal funding, though the exact amount had not been established.

Captain Paul Burch of the Mobile County Sheriff’s office said Thursday that he believed Donny Owens had been through a bond hearing at which bond was set at $20,000 for the first-degree charge and $10,000 for each of the second-degree charges. Jail records did not reflect that hearing as of early Thursday afternoon.

Burch said the sheriff’s office was aware of “several” other properties owned by the couple but had not yet established whether any of them were being operated as group homes.

As for the six men discovered in Grand Bay, Burch said they continued to receive treatment. “They are all still in the hospital and as far as we know their conditions are not life threatening,” he said.

Burch had said on Wednesday that the six residents of the home at 11050 Lakeview Lane Ext. in Grand Bay “had not seen any caretaker at the house for several days, up to a week.” Cabinets, pantries and the refrigerator were padlocked and the six residents required medical attention.

Details of their ages and medical needs have not been released.

Full Article & Source:
Second person charged with elder abuse, neglect over Grand Bay group home

See Also:
Man charged with multiple counts of elder abuse and neglect in Grand Bay

Man charged with multiple counts of elder abuse and neglect in Grand Bay

by Laura Barczewski | Andrea Ramey

Click to Watch Video

GRAND BAY, Ala. (WPMI) —

UPDATE:

49-year old Donny Owens was arrested overnight on multiple charges of elderly abuse and neglect.

DONNY OWENS (MOBILE JAIL) Mobile County Sheriff's Office investigating possible elder abuse in Grand Bay

ORIGINAL STORY:

The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office says a resident of an apparent group home in Grand Bay flagged down a driver Tuesday night saying he needed help.

The driver called 911 around 7 p.m. Responding deputies found two seniors who had been left on the floor of the Lakeview Lane Extension home.

Of the six elderly residents that live there, three were immediately taken to the hospital and were in dire need of medical care. The other three were taken to the hospital just before 10 p.m.

Investigators say all of the residents are elderly veterans and they believe this is some type of unlicensed group home.

Officials say the residents claim they haven’t seen any staff or had any assistance in about a week. The residents were unable to take care of themselves because they had no access to a telephone, and food and liquids were locked inside cabinets.

MCSO says the conditions these residents were living in were disgusting.

"It’s sickening that anyone would treat an elderly person in this manner, especially a veteran who served our country. And this is the way they’re treated simply for money," Captain Paul Burch with MCSO said.

Officials say one of the owners of the home, 49-year-old Donny Owens, who was on the scene being interviewed, is now being charged with one count of First Degree Elderly Abuse and five counts of Second Degree Elderly Abuse. Owens was taken into police custody.

Investigators say they are currently in the process of obtaining a search warrant for the home and believe there are several other homes like it. The conditions of the other homes are unknown.

The investigation is ongoing.

(WPMI) Mobile County Sheriff's Office investigating possible elder abuse in Grand Bay

Full Article & Source:
Man charged with multiple counts of elder abuse and neglect in Grand Bay

Gentle Tomcat Comforts Elderly Veterans In Need Of Love And Support

Animals have special healing abilities, and anyone who has ever been sick with their pet around will surely agree with me.

Though medicine is important when fighting off an illness or healing a wound, there is something about snuggling up to your furry friend that instantly makes you feel better.

This phenomenon is definitely not just in our head;  there are plenty of nonprofits and organizations that use sweet service animals as a means to comfort people in times of need.

Even health centers are beginning to utilize the power that pets and purrs can have on the human spirit.

Salem VA Medical Center in Salem, Virginia, even partnered up with a local animal shelter to find the perfect pet to offer love to their many veterans.

Then they found Tom the cat, who made everyone in the hospital a little happier with his furry happy presence.

Check below to learn more about this amazing animal.

Salem VA Medical Center

Animals always seem to have a healing presences; there’s no better feeling than a furry little friend snuggling up next to you when you’re not feeling well.

Salem VA Medical Center in Salem, Virginia understands this perfectly, and that’s why they have Tom the tomcat around.

Salem VA Medical Center

 

In 2012, chief nurse Dottie Rizzo and physician assistant Laura Hart read the book “Making Rounds with Oscar,” which is a real-life account of a geriatrician and a cat who that comforted patients with dementia, who almost seemed like he could tell when they were going to pass.

They decided that they needed a kitty just like Oscar around for their vets in need, and got help from a local veterinarian to find the perfect feline for the job.

Salem VA Medical Center

 

And Tom was the perfect cat for just that!

Loving and gentle, he slinks from room to room, cuddling up to patients who need a little extra love.

“Tom knows when someone is having a hard time. He laid on my bed a lot and I rubbed and scratched him the way cats like,”Army veteran James Gearhart explained to TODAY.com

“One day I gave him some of my Ensure vanilla drink and he drank every bit of it. Then he rubbed on me and licked my hands.”

Salem VA Medical Center

 

Tom is there for the patients in the center, making the sometimes-grim environments a little happier and homier with his purrs.

He even comforts staff who have to deal with death; after pronouncing a veteran dead, Dr. Blake Lipscomb said that Tom looked up at him and meowed knowingly, having spent time with the patient and their family before they passed.

Salem VA Medical Center

 

He even warms the hearts of people who aren’t too keen on kitties.

Though there is a ‘No Cat Zone’ in the hospital where patients and staff are guaranteed not to run into him, Tom usually ends up making friends with hospital-goers whether or not they are self-professed “cat people.”

Salem VA Medical Center

 

He has also helped vets who have certain impediments due to age or disease.

A patient with Parkinson’s disease was even able to speak more clearly with Tom on his lap because petting him relaxed his mind and vocal cords.

Salem VA Medical Center

 

He certainly brings joy to everyone at the center, both the vets and the staff who treat them!

Many find him on their lunch breaks to snuggle him and give him treats, while others diligently check to see if his litter box is clean.

Salem VA Medical Center

 

Rizzo and Hart were right, the entire air is a little bit happier and homier with a sweet kitty stalking the ward.

Thanks to Tom and his special powers, these vets always have a healer, a friend, and a little source of happiness.  (Click to continue)

Full Article & Source:
Gentle Tomcat Comforts Elderly Veterans In Need Of Love And Support