KNOXVILLE–Reducing the level of fraud and abuse of seniors and raising awareness of these issues is the focus of a 17-county Regional Senior Summit scheduled for May 15^th here in Knox County. County mayors, district attorney, generals, and sheriffs from throughout East Tennessee counties gathered at the John T. O’Conner Senior Center in Knoxville this morning to announce the Summit.

Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale and District Attorney General Randy Nichols are gathering mayors, district attorney generals, and sheriffs from 17 counties as partners in this second annual regional event for seniors, their families, and their caregivers. Because fraud and abuse is such a critical problem for our seniors, county sheriffs were invited to co-host this year’s Summit. Sheriffs are often responsible for the initial reporting of suspicious incidents involving seniors. Once they have identified problems, our sheriffs work in cooperation with seniors and their families to help find the appropriate modes of assistance or intervention.

The National Center on Elder Abuse estimates that between 1 and 2 million Americans who are over the age of 65 have been victimized. They also estimate that for every case of elder abuse or neglect that is reported, five go unreported. The Regional Senior Summit on Fraud and Abuse: Empowering Seniors to Take Charge and Live Better will be held at the Knoxville Expo Center on Thursday, May 15. The Summit will include a program of speakers and a broad range of information for seniors, their families, and senior service providers at booths and displays at the companion Senior Expo.

“This Summit is a great opportunity for us to create awareness of how the seniors living in our 17 counties are victimized. Our seniors are our greatest generation and deserve our protection. The focus of this year’s Summit has been expanded to include financial security, independence, and health, and is designed to strengthen the awareness of the issues and the available resources connected to them,” Mayor Ragsdale explained.

“We are blessed to have some of the most beautiful natural resources in the world right here in Cocke County, and we are committed to protecting these natural resources. In that light, I believe the most precious of all our natural resources are our people, especially our Senior Citizens. Just as we have committed our time and our resolve to protect our parks, streams, rivers, mountains and cultural/heritage traditions, we must also make that same commitment with an even greater resolve to protect our seniors from what is a growing national trend of elder and vulnerable adult abuse.

This growing problem of fraud and abuse on our seniors is widespread, and I truly believe we must face this challenge in a regional approach. I applaud Mayor Mike Ragsdale’s, as well as our other County mayors, gallant efforts in fighting this problem, and I’m honored to join my colleagues in hosting this Regional Senior Summit on Fraud and Abuse.

From my heart, I want to thank our Delegates we commissioned from Cocke County. District Attorney General Jimmy Dunn, Ms. Barbara Morris and Ms. Vella Calfee have volunteered their spirit and their time to work in partnership for this most important endeavor, and I am excited with the prospect of helping every single senior, who wishes to attend this Summit, make the trip to Knoxville. Let’s all work together to make this Senior Summit a success for all East Tennessee, and to actively engage in viable solutions to improve the safety, dignity and quality of life for our greatest generation,” said Iliff McMahan, Jr.

“Last year, we had many seniors attend this very informative conference from Cocke County. This is a great opportunity for us to create awareness of the frauds and abuses committed on our seniors. Identity theft is the fastest-growing crime in the country and attending this conference will give consumers more control over their own identity. This Summit is designed to help seniors and those who care for them. It offers education about elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation and these speakers provide tips to enable them to avoid becoming the victims of those who seek to defraud or hurt them.”

“The Summit will be held this year on May 15^th at the Knoxville Expo Center on Clinton Highway. In addition to the free admission, there will be free parking and health checks offered. Call (865) 215-3990 for detail,” said Morris.

Last year’s inaugural Regional Senior Summit drew approximately 2,500 seniors and 75 senior service vendors and health care agencies. As a result, four counties (Scott, Campbell, Grainger, and Monroe) have created active elder watch programs. Several other counties have sponsored mini senior summits. These new initiatives and activities are expanding the base of support to help address the fraud and abuse problems our seniors face.

Participating county mayors, district attorney generals, and sheriffs signed a declaration of commitment to support efforts to reduce the level of fraud and abuse of seniors and to help raise awareness about senior victimization. The mayors then commissioned 39 Summit delegates from across the 17 counties. The delegates will serve as a point of contact and help guide their local government leadership in addressing issues impacting seniors in their communities, provide local government leadership in addressing issues impacting seniors in their communities, provide information to citizens, identify sponsors and exhibitors, and much more.

The Senior Summit is the result of meetings of regional county mayors during the last five years to address common issues like air quality, economic development, and others that directly impact citizens. Participating counties include: Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, McMinn, Monroe, Morgan, Roane, Scott, Sevier, and Union.