Senior Safety Fair 'a great idea'

More than 90 attend event

ALFRED, Maine – What color is the yield traffic sign? Well, folks of a certain age tend to say yellow. Except, of course, it isn’t.

Tom Baran, AAA Northern New England’s Traffic Safety Education Specialist said the yield sign shape – the familiar triangle – remains the same, but the color changed to red and white about 30 years ago.

It was a lead-in to a talk about safe driving as people age and minimizing risk, one of a couple of presentations – the second was about scams and fraud, at the Senior Safety Fair hosted by York County Sheriff’s Office, AAA Northern New England and TD Bank, held Friday March 13 at the York County Regional Training Center in Alfred.

Among the topics Baran spoke about was medication and how some can have an impairment effect on a driver – and he urged people to check with their physicians about the impact of certain medications.

Leaders from TD Bank’s TD SAFE (Security Awareness for Everyone) program presented a fraud-focused session to help seniors understand how scams operate and how to protect their financial assets and identity.

One member of the audience in the scam and fraud session could relate.

“I had an impersonator scam experience,” the woman said, explaining she had received a call from someone who said “this is your grandson calling.”

The savvy grandma asked “which one, I have four.” The caller promptly hung up.

She was quick – but not everyone is, and impersonator fraud, along with romance and investment scams are the leading forms of deceit designed to separate seniors and others from their savings.

A romance scam can see an older person befriended online and soon, relationship forms. As time goes on, the caller urgently confides they are having money troubles – their car has broken down and they need cash, or some other scenario. Except of course, the only thing the caller is in love with is the money.

“Stop, think, and talk to your bank,” before making rash decisions, TD Bank SAFE personnel advised.

More than 90 folks from across York County and other locales attended the free event. They enjoyed morning coffee and pastries, gathered information packets from vendors like York County Elder Abuse Task Force, Southern Maine Agency on Aging, Home Instead, Pine Tree Legal, Maine Elder Justice Investigator Candice Simeoni, AAA,  and several others. Members of York County Emergency Management Agency’s volunteer CERT team were on hand with information, as was the Southern Maine Division of American Red Cross Northern New England Region.

Some attendees took advantage of an offer by AAA technicians to have their vehicle batteries checked and to top off their windshield washer fluid, and some attendees even walked away with raffle prizes after filling out tickets at vendor tables.

Blood pressure and other checks were given by trained medical personnel.

“It was very informative, I’m really glad I came,” said Karen Sangillo of Alfred.

There was lunch, accompanied musical selections from the Massabesic High School Chamber Singers, directed by Megan Farrington. A presentation to Sheriff Bill King was made by Southern Maine Agency on Aging CEO Megan Walton recognizing his service on the agency’s Advisory Committee. Pam Buck, State Office Representative for U.S. Senator Susan Collins, read a letter on the Senator’s behalf.

King addressed the audience briefly at the end of the session.

“I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did,” he said.

“This was a great idea,” said Hollis resident Karen Connolly. “It brings a lot of necessary information to people who wouldn’t otherwise have it.”

“I think they should make it a regular thing,” said Sandy Allen of Saco.