QCB13 in the House
Elder abuse report featured during return of local Community Board
STORY AND PHOTOS
BY STEPHEN VRATTOS
Despite its seeming independence—
unique
area code; dedicated
generator; security force; all the
conveniences of a stand-alone
town, including grocery store,
eateries, bank, shops, even a firstrun
cinema and dentist—North
Shore Towers is part of a greater
community, which includes Floral
Park, Glen Oaks, Laurelton, New
Hyde Park and Queens Village
(among others), all of which are
served by Queens Community
Board 13 (QCB13). As with other
such Boards throughout the
Five Boroughs, QCB13 is here to
improve the quality of life for its
residents, playing an important
advisory role in dealing with land
use and zoning matters, the City
budget, municipal service delivery
and other matters relating to a
community’s welfare.
NST Board Member Felice
Hannah has ever been a stalwart
overseer of the greater community,
whether independently or as
Chairman of the Political Action
Committee. It was through her
efforts a dedicated left turn signal
was installed at the intersection of
Marcus Avenue (aka Grand Central
Parkway service road) and Little
Neck Parkway, as well as bringing
in community, municipal, business
and political figures throughout the
year to meet and speak with residents.
About a year ago Hannah
was elected to Community Board
13 and she immediately set about
getting the Board to convene at
NST, which QCB13 had never
done previously and which Hannah
accomplished in December 2016.
The Board returned Monday
evening, January 28, gathering in
Towers in the Green for its monthly
assemblage, which included its
members, representatives from
such camps as Senator Tom
Suozzi’s and Councilmember
Barry Grodenchik’s, members of
the press, officers from the 105th
Precinct and NST residents. The
night’s meeting also featured an
impromptu visit from NYPD’s
Patrol Borough Queens South,
NST General Manager Glen Kotowski (far left) stands among members of the 105th Precinct, for which
he served as the Commanding Officer before taking up his post at NST. Other notables in the group are
NYPD’s Borough Queens South, Assistant Chief David Barrere, NST Board President Stanley Goldsmith,
fellow Board Member and PAC Chair Felice Hannah, as well as members of Community Board 13
Assistant Chief David Barrere, who
paid accolades to the members of
the 105th for their impeccable work
facilitating the continued decline of
crime in the area.
Those NST residents fortunate
to have attended January’s Safety
Seminar (reported in the January
edition of the NST Courier), certainly
recognized the Commanding
Officer of the 105th, Neteis Gilbert,
who updated QCB13 on the status
of crime, or lack thereof, in
the area. Those few instances of
nefarious activities, such as the
recent upswing in Grand Larceny
crimes, Gilbert discussed in greater
length during her January visit to
the Towers.
Of arguably greater concern and
interest was the report by the 105th
Precinct’s Sergeant Jennifer Limage,
who oversees EAGLE (Elder Abuse
Guide for Law Enforcement),
and Takai Forde, Social Worker
Supervisor for JASA, the Jewish
Association Serving the Aging. This
presentation was especially relevant
given the vibrant senior population
of The Towers.
Something is considered elder
abuse when the victim is at least
60 years of age and it is one of the
fastest growing crimes in the United
States. To the audible surprise of
attendees was the fact that a whopping
90% of abuse comes from
loved ones, children, grandchildren
and spouses, not home healthcare
workers. According to Forde, such
outside help must always answer
to the agency with which they are
employed. Any possible discretion
might result in termination and no
one wants to lose their job and
source of income.
Sergeant Limage assured that
every report, no matter how seemingly
innocuous on the surface, is
taken seriously and given the utmost
attention. There are three types,
financial, emotional and physical,
the former being most common.
Examples of financial elder abuse
include instances whereby a senior
is asked to sign what they are told
is a home healthcare proxy or
other legitimate document, when
the form is actually the deed to
the victim’s property. Another is
when money suddenly disappears
from out in the open, while visitors
are present, who once confronted,
claim there was no money, making
the victim feel they’re going crazy
or being forgetful.
Recognition is the key to stopping
elder abuse. The sudden appearance
of bruising, scrapes or other
injuries on a senior could be a sign
of physical abuse. Evasive or disoriented
responses when answering
basic questions about injuries or
home life might indicate emotional
abuse. An abrupt change in a person’s
routine—they do not show
up for church or a weekly social
event— or if the suspected victim
is not allowed in public alone or
able to speak freely are also signs,
which should be reported.
Unfortunately, most often fear of
reprisal from the abuser or a victim
simply not wanting to see a loved
one arrested deters abuse from
being reported. However, Sergeant
Limage stressed that a police report
need not be filed in order to get
help. Her department and agencies
like JASA can assist in relocating
Takai Forde, Social Worker
Supervisor for JASA, the Jewish
Association Serving the Aging
victims to temporary shelters,
changing door locks, financial
aid or just providing advice as to
alternative routes to assuaging the
situation without making an arrest.
“If you have even an inkling of
abuse, you can make an anonymous
report,” Forde pointed out.
But what about those cases of
a person being unable to make a
phone call themselves. Or perhaps
the supposed victim is restricted
from talking openly when called. In
such instances, questions needing
simple, seemingly innocent oneword
answers, are asked of the
senior, such as “Are you alone?,”
“Can you talk?,” “Do you need
help,” in order to ascertain the
severity of the situation and take
action, if necessary.
“If you take nothing else away
from this evening, take this,” Forde
began in summation. “Treat a suspected
case of elder abuse the same
way you would if it were a child.
You can save a life by making a
phone call.”
6 NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER ¢ March 2019