June 18, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 9 Learn how to prevent elder financial abuse In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, the Independent Community Bankers of America®, the Senior Housing Crime Prevention Foundation, and Atlan- tic Stewardship Bank are providing tips for preventing the disturbing trend of elder financial abuse. “Community bankers nationwide serve a vital role in protecting members of our communities, including the elderly who are all too often targets of financial abuse,” said ICBA Chairman John H. Buhrmaster, president and CEO of 1st National Bank of Scotia, NY. “It’s important for all Americans to be aware of this very real issue and learn about ways to help prevent elder financial abuse from happening to themselves or their loved ones. If you have questions or concerns about the safety and security of your finances, you should speak to your local commu- nity banker right away.” ICBA, SHCPF, and Atlantic Stewardship Bank offer the following suggestions: • Secure all valuables in a bank safety deposit box. These valuables can include Social Security card, pass- ports, credit card account numbers, will and other legal documents, financial statements, and medical records. • Do not give financial information to callers who con- tact you and claim to be from established organizations, such as your bank or credit card companies, especially if they ask you to wire funds or send them private informa- tion. If you are concerned about your bank account, con- tact your bank directly. • Check your bank accounts and bill statements care- fully. You can check them online so you can zoom in easily in case you need to make the statement larger for easier reading. If you notice unauthorized charges, alert your bank immediately. • Do not give your personal information, such as bank account numbers or PINs, to anyone in a phone call, letter, e-mail, fax, or text message. • Have enough money set aside to support yourself and your immediate family for at least six months in case of an emergency. Your local community banker can help create a financial roadmap for you and your family. “Elder financial abuse is a rapidly growing problem in our country, so we produced the Preventing Elder Finan- cial Abuse Video Toolkit because we are dedicated to pro- viding educational resources to help our nation’s seniors and their family members on ways to protect themselves against financial exploitation,” said Peter Gwaltney, chairman, president, and CEO of the Senior Housing Crime Prevention Foundation. “We are encouraging every banker to spread the word on ways to prevent elder finan- cial abuse and exploitation to every senior citizen and their families.” Paul Van Ostenbridge, president and CEO of Atlantic Stewardship Bank, said, “Keeping our customers’ finan- cial information safe and preventing any type of financial abuse is a top priority of ours. Atlantic Stewardship Bank is happy to address any questions or concerns you might have in regard to preventing elder financial abuse, whether it is for you or a family member.” For more information about the Senior Housing Crime Prevention Foundation, visit www.SHCPFoundation.org. To order the Preventing Elder Financial Abuse Video Toolkit, visit SHCPF’s website. To learn more about com- munity banks and services they offer, visit www.icba. org. To learn more about Atlantic Stewardship Bank, visit www.asbnow.com. The Independent Community Bankers of America®, the nation’s voice for more than 6,500 community banks of all sizes and charter types, is dedicated exclusively to representing the interests of the community banking industry and its membership through effective advocacy, best-in-class education, and high-quality products and services. The SHCPF serves as a way for banks to earn CRA credit in the form of CRA-qualified loans, investments, or grants through the operation of the nationally acclaimed Senior Crimestopper’s program. Funded exclusively by the banking industry, this program provides safe, secure, and improved quality of life living environments in low- and moderate-income senior housing facilities, HUD com- munities, and the nation’s veterans’ homes. Banks enjoy guaranteed CRA credit, no administrative burden, instal- lation of a turn-key program, and positive public relations exposure in their communities. Not only does the foundation impact the lives of the elderly, it also impacts the community outside of the long- term care industry through the CRA-qualified securities (continued on page 21)