The D.C. Office on Aging Execu-tive Director John M. Thompson,Ph.D. hosts quarterly roundtablediscussions with seniors at varioussenior wellness centers through-out the city. The agency regularlyholds these discussions at our sen-ior wellness centers to ensure that

seniors have an opportunity toweigh in on issues that directly im-pact their lives.

Final meeting:July 16, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.Washington Seniors Wellness

Center3001 Alabama Ave. SE

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4 23

VOLUME XXV, ISSUE 7 A newsletter for D.C. Seniors July 2014

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OFFICE ON AGING

Spotlight On Aging

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGEBy John M. Thompson, Ph.D., FAAMA

In the first issue this year, I talkedabout falls in the home leading to in-juries and deaths, and encouraged sen-iors to take advantage of improving theirhealth by joining health and wellnessprograms and services at any of the Dis-trict’s six senior wellness centers.

In this month’s issue of “Spotlight onAging,” I would like to revisit the topic offalls, as the data that has been presentedto me could benefit you.

According to Dr. Roger A. Mitchell,Jr., chief medical examiner of Washing-ton, D.C., more than 70 seniors die an-nually in the District because of a pre-ventable fall. The fall may not necessar-ily be one that leads to sudden death,such as a senior hitting his head onconcrete or a hard surface. Instead, itappears that the majority of the seniorswho died due to a preventable fall diedbecause they were “comorbid,” and asa result of the fall, they sustained afractured hip.

Comorbidity — or the state of livingwith multiple diseases, such as conges-tive heart failure, diabetes and cancer,combined with a bone-fracturing fall —can further exacerbate a senior’shealth condition and lead to death. Youcan imagine that fracturing or break-ing any bone in the body is verypainful, and the recovery from such in-juries can be an uphill battle for somepeople, especially if they were not ac-tive or exercising prior to the fall.

Unfortunately, some of these individ-uals become even less active as a resultof the fall and, subsequently, gainweight because they are not eatingproperly. This leads to further worsen-ing of the disease stage in their bodies,which causes them to succumb to

death. According to the chief medicalexaminer, the cause of death for thosewho die within a year after experienc-ing a fall would be the fall itself.

One may think that 70 seniors out ofthe nearly 104,000 seniors in the Dis-trict is not a huge number. But even ifone senior died from a preventable fall,that is one too many. Therefore, it ismy vision that we decrease the numberof reports of seniors dying from a pre-ventable fall to zero as a result of a newinitiative that the District of ColumbiaOffice on Aging is rolling out thismonth.

Through the new initiative, DCOAwill dispatch an occupational therapist(OT) to a senior’s home to conduct afalls assessment. Through the falls as-sessment, seniors will receive a reportwith recommendations on how to elim-inate fall hazards in their homes.

For example, the assessment mightidentify an old piece of rug in thekitchen that could cause a senior toslip, or phone cords and other wiresthat could cause a senior to trip andinjure himself/herself.

The OT may recommend the installa-tion of railings along both sides of a stair-case, or grab bars in the shower or even awalk-in tub if a senior is no longer able tolift his leg high enough without trippingto get in the tub.

I am confident that through this pro-gram, seniors can improve the qualityof their lives as we remove barriersthat could cause them to experience in-jury. Through this initiative, I hope thatwe can keep every senior safe. Pleasecontact the District of Columbia Officeon Aging at 202-724-5626 to sign up fora falls assessment.

Senior Wellness Center Town Hall Meeting

Sign up for free fall-prevention assessment

Dr. Thompson speaks with seniors after the Town Hall at the BerniceFonteneau Senior Wellness Center. Town hall discussions giveseniors a chance to provide feedback to DCOA on services attheir site and to hear from Dr. Thompson directly.

The District of Columbia Commis-sion on Aging is a citizen’s advisorygroup to the Mayor, Council of the Dis-trict of Columbia, Office on Aging, andthe general public on the needs andconcerns of older Washingtonians.

Commissioners serve as advo-cates on behalf of the District’s near-ly 104,000 seniors, and accomplishtheir responsibilities through out-reach to individuals and institutions,

as well as to groups and govern-ments. The Commissioners are ap-pointed by the Mayor with the adviceand consent of the Council of theDistrict of Columbia.

For more information, or to applyto become a commissioner, visit theOffice of Boards and Commissions’(OBC) website: http://obc.dc.gov/page/obc-application-form-and-guide-eligibility.

Are You Interested in Serving YourCommunity as an Aging Advocate?

24 J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

D.C. OFFICE ON AGING NEWSLETTER

Mayor Gray hand dances on stage to the sounds of LyVe Bandduring Senior Fest 2014.

Mayor Gray greeted attendees during the event, and shared the newservices that will be funded in the budget for seniors. He spokespecifically of the expanded services for wellness centers, includingextended hours for participants.

Councilmember Marion Barry, Ward 8, sings the blues during Senior Fest, held atOxon Run Park. He was a hit with those in attendance.

More than 1,500 seniors enjoyed live entertainment, information ex-hibits, health screenings and demonstration bingo. Seniors also dancedto the sounds of LyVe band, a local band that features female vocalists.Entertainment was also provided by the API Senior Center Dancers, theHula Belles and the Hayes Senior Wellness Center Dancers, which led

line dances during the event.

SENIOR FEST 2014Mayor Vincent C. Gray greeted more than

1,500 seniors at Senior Fest 2014, hosted bythe D.C. Department of Parks and Recreationand the Office on Aging.

A special highlight of the day included Ward8 Councilmember Marion Barry singing theblues.

Seniors enjoyed live entertainment, demon-stration bingo and visited exhibitors duringthe event.

Visit our Facebook page for more photosfrom the event.

Spotlight On Agingcontinues on page 25, following the

Housing & Home Care Optionsmagazine at the right

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WASH I NG TON B E A CON — J U LY 2 0 1 4 25

D.C. OFFICE ON AGING NEWSLETTER

By Lucy Drafton-LoweryThe D.C. Department of Insurance, Securities

and Banking (DISB) has received complaints fromDistrict residents regarding affinity fraud, an in-creasingly common type of scam.

Affinity fraud refers to investment scams thattarget members of specific groups, such as reli-gious or ethnic communities, active or retired mili-tary or professional groups. The faith, love, trustand friendships that these groups share canprompt members to let their guard down, and it’sthese close bonds that scammers sometimes ex-ploit to get you to invest.

The scam almost always involves either a fakeinvestment or an investment where the scammer isdishonest about important details, such as the useof funds and the risk of loss.

Unfortunately, there have been cases of affinityfraud in Washington, D.C. One example involved aD.C.-based businessman from Africa who conned acouple into investing $115,000 in so-called “growthfund investments.” He invited the couple to dinner,made his pitch, and persuaded them to buy sharesin a high-risk fund designed for short-term in-vestors who could accept those risks.

Because they were friends from the same country,the couple trusted him and handed over their life sav-ings. After an investigation, the department orderedhim to cease and desist from providing investmentadvice, pay a $30,000 civil penalty, and pay restitutionin the amount of $115,000 back to the couple.

Pyramid schemesAffinity fraud often involves “Ponzi” or pyramid

schemes, where new investor money is used tomake payments to past investors to give the falseimpression that the investment is profitable.

The scammer wants you, the investor, to believeyour investment is safe so you will reinvest or en-courage others to invest. Once the new invest-ments stop, the scheme usually collapses.

Another instance of affinity fraud took place at alocal District church. The minister convincedmembers of his congregation to give money forwhat he told them was an “investment opportuni-ty” that would help the church. Since they trustedhim as their church pastor, they provided him withthe funds.

He promised investors a 20 percent return afterone year, regardless of market conditions. The min-ister collected thousands of dollars from his parish-ioners and used the money to purchase property,fund renovations, and for other costs associatedwith an investment property. When the paymentson the notes were due to investors, the ministerwas unable to pay. The department took actionagainst the minister, and he was fined $30,000 andordered to pay restitution to the D.C. victims.

However, not all scammers are members of agroup. They can be without any affiliation and usea different tactic to gain the confidence of groupmembers. For example, they may enlist a fewprominent people from the group to market thescam to leverage the familiarity of a trusted leader.

The department finds that many instances ofaffinity fraud go unreported because the victimstry to solve problems within the group or are tooembarrassed to report the fraud. Don’t place your-self in a position where your savings could bewiped out — protect yourself and your money.

And don’t be embarrassed to report suspectedfraud to the department. Your report may help keepothers from putting their money into the same scam.

Avoiding affinity fraudHere are some tips on how to avoid affinity fraud:• Beware of investment opportunities that

promise quick returns. • Beware of investment opportunities that are

based on or challenge a person’s faith or their obli-gation to give money because of religious beliefs.

• Beware of testimonials or endorsements fromgroup members. Scam artists frequently pay outhigh returns to early investors by using moneyfrom previous investors.

• Do not fall for investments that promise prof-its or “guaranteed” returns. If an investment seemstoo good to be true, then it probably is. Generally,the greater the potential return the investment of-fers, the greater the risk of losing money.

• Be skeptical of any investment that is not fullydocumented in writing. Avoid an investment if youare told there is insufficient time to put the termsin writing. Also, you should be suspicious if youare told to keep the investment opportunity toyourself, or that it is only available for a limitedtime, or to a select few.

• Don’t be pressured or rushed into an invest-ment before you have a chance to think about it andinvestigate it. Watch out for investments that arepitched as “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunities, espe-cially when the promoter bases the recommenda-tion on “inside” or “confidential” information.

• Check out everything before you invest.Never make an investment decision that is basedsolely on the recommendation of a leader or mem-ber of an organization, or religious or ethnic groupto which you belong.

• Seek professional advice by asking a disinter-ested outside expert not in your group – attorney,accountant, banker, stockbroker or financial plan-ner to evaluate the investment.

• Call the D.C. Department of Insurance, Securi-ties and Banking at 202-727-8000 to check the li-cense of the person offering the investment. Ask ifthey are registered to do business in the Districtand if the investment is allowed to be sold. If the per-son or the investment is not registered, that is a surewarning to inquire further. Don`t take the word of asalesperson! Check out the investment yourself.

You can’t get rid of scammers, but you can avoidhaving them come into your life. Don’t make acostly mistake by relying solely on “trust” whenmaking an investment. The better informed youare, the less likely your chance of becoming a vic-tim of investment fraud and abuse.

The DISB works to prevent fraudulent, decep-tive and unfair business practices in the District.Contact the department if you have any questionsabout the license status of the person offering theinvestment. You can reach them on 202-727-8000or visit disb.dc.gov.

You can also use the free BrokerCheck tool fromthe Financial Industry Regulatory Authority(FINRA) to help research registered brokerage firmsand brokers, as well as investment adviser firms andrepresentatives. Find the tool at www.finra.org/In-vestors/ToolsCalculators/BrokerCheck/

Lucy Drafton-Lowery is public affairs specialistfor the D.C. Department of Insurance, Securitiesand Banking.

This department regulates the city’s financial-services businesses. It has two missions: to effec-tively and fairly regulate financial services to pro-tect the people of the District, and to attract and re-tain financial-services businesses. For more infor-mation, visit disb.dc.gov.

Don’t Fall Prey to Affinity Fraud

Home utility bills can be expensive, especiallyover the summer months when we consumemore energy to stay cool. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance

Program (LIHEAP) helps low-income residentsmeet their home energy needs, and providesemergency assistance to households whoseelectric or gas services have been terminated.In addition to the financial assistance, LI-

HEAP also provides fans during deadly summerheat waves, and heaters and blankets during thecold season. The amount of assistance is basedon household size, total household income, fueltype and type of residence. If you are currently receiving benefits from

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program(SNAP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI),or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families(TANF), then you are already eligible to partici-pate in LIHEAP. Recipients can receive between$250 and $1,500 in a given year.Each year, between 12,000 and 14,000 low in-

come District of Columbia residents are provid-ed energy assistance through LIHEAP, of whichroughly one-third are 65 years or older. For more information, call 311 or visit

www.ddoe.DC.gov/liheap.

Energy Assistance Availablefor Low-Income Residents

Are you interested in making a dif ferencein your community? Train to become a D.C.Office on Aging (DCOA) Ambassador, andhelp connect your neighbors, friends andfamily members to DCOA programs andservices. DCOA has valuable programs, services and

resources to help residents age 60 and olderremain in their communities and to provide as-sistance for their caregivers. Resources arealso available for persons living with disabili-ties age 18 and older.Call 202-724-5622 to register for an upcom-

ing training.

Training dates:July 17: 10 a.m. to noonAugust 2: 10 a.m. to noon

Spotlight On Agingcontinued from page 24, preceding the

Housing & Home Care Optionsmagazine at the left

Please pull out and keep the magazine. You may also pull out and keep

Spotlight on Aging.

Train to Be a DCOA Ambassador

26 J U LY 2 0 1 4 — WA SH I NG TON B E A CON

D.C. OFFICE ON AGING NEWSLETTER

Community CalendarJuly events

12th • 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Join in a block party at Nineteenth Street Baptist

Church, 4606 16th St. NW. For more information, callAlice Thompson at 202-535-1321.

13th, 20th and 27th • 1 to 5 p.m.Iona Senior Services presents a series called

“OMG! I’m Middle Aged. Now What?” The three-part series examine various aspects of middle adult-hood, such as relationships, career, and health andwellness. Group members will receive a notebookfull of helpful resources. The fee is $75. Iona is locat-ed at 4125 Albemarle St. NW. Call 202-895-9448 oremail registration@iona.org to register.

14th • 11:30 a.m.Attend a town hall meeting at the Kibar Nutrition

Site, 1519 Islamic Way NW. For more information,call Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

15th to Aug. 26th • 1 to 3 p.m.A six-session class called “Mindful Living 101” will

be held by Iona Senior Services every Tuesday fromJuly 15 to Aug. 26 (except Aug. 5). Mindful Living ex-plores deeper connections with our emotional andphysical selves, and covers choices in retirement,changes in ourselves and our relationships, and well-ness and personal growth. The fee is $75. Iona is lo-cated at 4125 Albemarle St. NW. Call 202-895-9448 oremail registration@iona.org to register.

16th • 11:30 a.m. Learn about medical identity theft at Ward 5 nutri-

tion sites. For more information, call Vivian Graytonat 202-529-8701.

21st • 11:30 a.m.Attend a town hall meeting at Delta Towers Nutri-

tion Site, 1400 Florida Ave. NW. For more informa-tion, call Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

OngoingWard 5 residents who are age 60 and over and are

in need of legal advice can contact Seabury Ward 5Aging Services on Mondays to speak with a lawyer.Call 202-529-8701.

Dr. Thompson poses with members of the D.C. Seniors Cameo Club after theirtaping of “Happy” at the Model Cities Senior Wellness Center.

Spotlight On Aging is publishedby the Information Office of theD.C. Office on Aging for D.C. sen-ior residents. Advertising con-tained in the Beacon is not en-dorsed by the D.C. Office onAging or by the publisher.

500 K St., N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002

202-724-5622 • www.dcoa.dc.gov

John M. Thompson, Ph.D., FAAMAExecutive DirectorDarlene Nowlin,

EditorLateef MangumPhotographer

The D.C. Office on Aging doesnot discriminate against anyonebased on actual or perceived: race,

color, religion, national origin, sex,age, marital status, personal ap-pearance, sexual orientation, famil-ial status, family responsibilities,matriculation, political affiliation,disability, source of income, andplace of residence or business.Sexual harassment is a form of

sex discrimination which is pro-hibited by the Act. In addition, ha-rassment based on any of theabove protected categories is pro-hibited by the Act. Discriminationin violation of the Act will not betolerated. Violators will be subject-ed to disciplinary action.

The Office on Aging isin partnership with the

District of Columbia Recycling Program.

SPOTLIGHT ON AGING

The Frederick J. Krause Schol-arship on Health and Disability isawarded annually by the AmericanAssociation on Health and Disabil-ities. The scholarship goes to a de-

serving student with a disabilitywho is pursuing undergraduateor graduate studies (must be atleast enrolled as a junior in col-lege) in an accredited university.Applicants must be pursuingstudies related to health and dis-ability, to include, but not limitedto: public health, health promo-tion, disability studies, disabilityresearch, rehabilitation engi-neering, audiology, disability pol-icy, special education and othermajors that will impact the quali-ty of life of persons with disabili-ties.• Applicant must have a dis-

ability;• Applicant must be enrolled

full time as an undergraduate stu-dent (junior standing and above)or enrolled part time or full time ina graduate school;• Preference is given to stu-

dents majoring in a field related todisability and health (see scholar-ship program criteria above);• Applicant must be a US citizen

or legal resident living in the USand enrolled in an accredited USuniversity;• Funds are limited to under

$1,000.The 2014-2015 Scholarship

Award will be awarded on January2015. It is the discretion of theScholarship Committee to deter-mine how many scholarships willbe awarded each year and theamount of each scholarship. Applications are due November

15, 2014. For more information,visit www.aahd.us or call (301)545-6140.

Scholarship on Health and Disability

The ADRC Hospital Transition CareTeam collaborates with hospitals inDC to offer support and necessary re-sources to seniors age 60 and over andpersons living with disabilities ages 18to 59 as they transition from the hospi-tal into the community. The team links these persons and

their caregivers with support servicessuch as personal care, housing, trans-portation, benefits assistance, respite,recreational/social activities andmuch more.If you need assistance when being

discharged from the hospital, call 202-724-5626.

Hospital Care Team Offers Support