OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – It’s a solution to a problem that law enforcement has been struggling with, especially with seniors: How to make the elderly aware of the special programs deputies do to protect the elderly.
Monday morning, for the first time, the Osceola County Sheriff brought his senior specialists, his fraud unit and his life-saving tools to an assisted living facility in Kissimmee - Sonata Hunter’s Creek.
Sheriff Marcos Lopez said instead of expecting seniors to come to the sheriff’s office to learn about resources and tools, he’s bringing them to seniors.
“It’s an easier way for them to get the information,” Lopez said. “And to receive certain different programs that we’re offering in order for them not to fall victims.”
One senior Lopez spoke with shared a story of fraud.
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“My wife goes to the bank to withdraw some money and she can’t get it because they said your accounts have been scammed,” the senior told Lopez. “So I had three or four accounts there at KeyBank and the money was gone.”
Lopez explained how adding alerts and two-factor authentication - requiring a code to be emailed or texted to log into an account - to a bank account can prevent fraud.
“The key is prevention, have alerts, have a two-way type alert, anytime someone wants to access your bank,” Lopez said.
Lopez showed seniors a Scent Preservation Kit and encouraged them to use it. The kit is free from the sheriff’s office and includes gauze for seniors to swab their body to capture their scent and a jar in which to store the scent. The scent can be stored for several years and can be given to bloodhounds immediately in case the senior goes missing.
Lopez also explained Project Lifesaver, a program that places free radio-frequency bracelets on seniors’ wrists so a receiver in a patrol car or helicopter can locate the senior.
@wkmg_news6 The Osceola County Sheriff's Office is looking to inform families about programs that help protect their older loved ones if they go missing. #seniorcitizens #protectingseniors #florida #centralflorida #osceolacounty #elderly #news #news6 #floridanews
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“Project Lifesaver is a great tool and ever since we’ve implemented this tool we’ve had 100% success rate and we find them in less than 20 minutes,” Lopez said. “The closer the person is [to the hand-held receiver] the stronger the signal gets.”
Deputies will come to a seniors’ home and provide a free Project Lifesaver wrist band if a senior requests it.
Lopez said no at the nursing home knew about either Project Lifesaver or the Scent Preservation Kit.
“They weren’t really aware,” Lopez said. “Nobody. We’re raising the awareness we call it the Osceola Sheriff’s Office, OCSO On Wheels, and we’re going to different elderly assisted facilities and let them know.”
Lopez has scheduled six more senior center visits through March at different facilities all over Osceola county.
And if he’s not visiting your facility, contact him here and request a visit.
Upcoming visits:
Osceola Council on Aging, 700 Generation Point, Kissimmee
- Feb. 13: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Good Samaritan Society Kissimmee Village-Garden
- Feb. 15: 12 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Madison Crossing, 2299 E. Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy., Kissimmee
- Feb. 29: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Maliblu Hunters Creek 55+, 2920 Flora Ridge Circle, Kissimmee
- Mar. 5: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Osprey Park 62+ Apt. & Cottages, 151 N. Osprey Park Rd., Kissimmee
- Mar. 20: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Album Monterey Pointe, 3265 Greenwald Way North
- Mar. 27: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
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