It was with interest and pleasure that the Narooma VIEW Club received the presentation of Safety for Older Adults delivered by three Regional Officers, Constables Dean – the Aged Crime Prevention Officer; David - the Crime Prevention Officer and Tony - the Youth Crime Prevention Officer at their last Meeting.
The presentation was full of pertinent information such as what the role of the Crime Prevention Officer is. It is NOT to investigate elder abuse but rather to develop partnerships with local police; give referrals to appropriate services; engage in community education, police education & training; to liaise with community and conduct safety audits.
Rather than leave it at that, the VIEW Police visitors went on to detail what elder abuse is. They emphasized that a person, looking after his or herself, even though very poorly, is not in an abusive situation. It’s people and institutions which can be guilty of neglect as well as physical, sexual, financial, and mental abuse.
Members were fortunate to receive the booklet Safety Information Guide for Older Adults which looks at topics such as how to report a crime; the Emergency Services App; safety tips for living alone and how to protect yourself from Scam Artists.
The very useful Next of Kin Register form was also distributed. It can be filled in and lodged at the local Police Station and in a time of emergency such as a car crash, may assist the ambulance and police to contact the nominated person. Of course, as VIEW members found out, there is a wealth of information on the NSW Police website: https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/ .
The Narooma VIEW Club meets on the 4th Friday of the month for lunch at Narooma Golf Club. It’s a great way to meet others, to form friendships, listen to interesting presenters and support the Smith Family’s Learning for Life Program, (which assists disadvantaged school children in the local area to reach their academic potential.)
Please contact Rosemary on 0418 619 725; Kath on 0437 744 567 or email naroomaview5@gmail.com for more details.
