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June was Elder Financial Abuse Prevention month and, as it has for many years, your League remains a leader in talking about and building awareness about the seriousness of the issue. In the past couple of weeks, your League has participated in TV and radio interviews, and taken out newspaper ads highlighting this issue.
The Maine Credit Union League was a founding member of the Senior$afe program, and has a long history of advocating about this issue prior. “We recognize the importance of not only preventing elder financial abuse but talking about it. This month presented multiple opportunities to do that, and reinforce the commitment of Maine CUs to doing all that we can on this issue,” stated Elise Baldacci, Vice President of Governmental Affairs for the Maine Credit Union League.
Baldacci added that with the passage of S. 2155, which included provisions of Senior$afe and strengthening protections for financial institutions reporting suspected elder financial abuse, the timing of the media opportunities “worked out well.”
In the past two weeks, your League has done morning show interviews on the George Hale and Ric Tyler Show on the Voice of Maine News Talk Network; the WGAN Morning News with Ken and Matt; and a TV segment that aired on ABC 7 WVII and FOX 22. On the TV segment, Baldacci was joined by Vanessa Madore, VP at Maine Savings FCU. Madore has significant experience on the issue of elder financial abuse and has been proactive in training and other efforts focused on elder financial abuse prevention. Madore offered the CU perspective and discussed some of the things to look for when trying to identify elder financial abuse. “We take this issue very seriously and spend significant time working staff to help them identify red flags that might indicate something is happening to an older member.”
In addition to the TV and radio interviews, your League also ran an ad in several daily newspapers to build awareness about the issue, and offer assistance, as well.
Jon Paradise, Vice President of Public Affairs and Engagement for the Maine CU League, said that the League’s involvement and leadership on this issue “reinforces the personal and local benefits of credit unions, and the relationship between credit unions and members. Our strong media relationships made coordinating multiple opportunities on different media outlets possible.”
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