McAllen nonprofit teams up with Adult Protective Services to fight against elder financial abuse

PHARR, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A McAllen nonprofit organization and Adult Protective Services came together in Pharr on Thursday for an event aimed at helping the community fight against elder financial abuse.

Silver Ribbon Community Partners and APS hosted the Elder Issues: Financial Exploitation Conference as part of Financial Exploitation Awareness Month.

The conference provided knowledge and tools to protect elders from financial exploitation.

"Our common cases look like family members using the resources of the elderly individual for their own personal benefit and gain," said Ann Cortez, District Director for Adult Protective Services. "Oftentimes, elderly have a constant source of income, so the known perpetrator will know that every month they're going to get this amount of money and use that money for their own personal gain other than to support the elder person or the disabled person who needs it to live."

If you suspect abuse, neglect, and exploitation of someone who is elderly or disabled, call 1-800-252-5400.