Kathy Greenlee to leave federal ACL at the end of July

My favorite federal head of aging in history is leaving! We knew it would happen, a new administration will be taking over in 2017 and there will be the usual new raft of cabinet heads installed. But it will be particularly hard for many of us in aging services to see Kathy Greenlee go. She has been that perfect combination of smart, experienced, effective, and inspirational. Here's hoping our next Assistant Secretary on Aging will be even half as excellent as she has been.

www.acl.gov/NewsRoom/NewsInfo/2016/2016_06_29.aspx

WV flood victims: DOCUMENT your damage

It's hard to comprehend how people in the flood-ravaged areas of WV are getting their needs met. Legal matters are certainly not the highest priority right now while people are still mucking out.

But please pass it on to every flood victim you know, DOCUMENT your damage before you clean up. Document as you clean up. Take pictures, video, notes about your losses. It is the farthest thing from your mind as you are shoveling mud, but you may need evidence of your damages to support claims for benefits or insurance later.

Please spread the word of the need for documentation of damages, and help your fellow West Virginians get documentation they may need later.

Any West Virginian age 60 or over can contact WV Senior Legal Aid with legal questions or problems, whether flood-related or not. We will be here to help as claims issues arise, too. We wish every West Virginia flood victim safety and we will be here to help with your recovery.

follow FEMA's work in WV

You can follow each step of the progress of FEMA's work assisting West Virginians affected by the floods in Greenbrier, Kanawha, and Nicholas counties on this webpage www.fema.gov/disaster/4273

WV flood victims: protect your identity when using public computers

Many WV flood victims may have lost the use of their primary computers for accessing critical online resources like their own bank accounts, utility accounts, insurance accounts, benefits application, etc.

Beware of identity thieves and fraudsters who prey on disaster victims. If you use a public computer or other person's phone or tablet or computer to access online account information or apply for benefits be extra careful. Know whose computer you are using and don't use any machine from a source that is not safe and credible. Take extra steps to delete all your personal and username/password information when you are done. Then check again to be sure no one can use your credentials to access your accounts again later.

If you are not sure how to protect yourself, don't log in. It can wait.

Greenbrier, Kanawha, Nicholas counties designated for federal disaster funds

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the State of West Virginia to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides beginning on June 22, 2016, and continuing.

The President's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in of Greenbrier, Kanawha, and Nicholas counties. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

The President's action makes federal funding available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures in Greenbrier, Kanawha, and Nicholas counties.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Albert Lewis has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Lewis said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated area can begin applying for assistance tomorrow by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.

Follow FEMA online at blog.fema.gov, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate's activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only.

FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

WV Seniors in flooded areas can call for free legal assistance

Seniors age 60+ in every county in WV can call WV Senior Legal Aid 1-800-229-5068 to talk to a lawyer for free. Seniors in counties who have been hit by this week's massive flooding across the state may especially need legal help regarding:

• FEMA benefits
• other public benefits
• landlord/tenant issues
• insurance claims
• contractor issues
• creating new documents for those lost in the flood

Any disaster brings scammers and predators out of the woodwork so communities should be extra vigilant during the recovery. Check out licensing, insurance, and references carefully before choosing a contractor. Don't sign a contract without carefully reading it, don't be bashful about getting advice from a professional or a trusted smart friend before signing or agreeing to pay. Get more than one bid and recognize that the cheapest one may not necessarily be the best choice. Urgency and scarcity are hallmarks of scams, so don't let anyone pressure you into taking a step before you have done your homework.

Same goes for sending donations. West Virginians are generous people who want to help those who need it, and scammers know that. Be sure your donation is going to a reputable non-profit who has a track record of providing effective community assistance.

Today is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

Elder abuse can include physical, emotional, psychological, and sexual abuse as well as neglect and financial exploitation. No senior is immune; elder abuse happens to seniors across all socio-economic groups, races, abilities, and cultures. It happens in our community. It takes all the eyes of the community to watch for it and take action.

What are the risk factors for elder abuse? Though it can happen to any senior some of us are particularly vulnerable, including those experiencing social isolation, diminishing mental or physical capacities, and the very elderly.

Who are the perpetrators? Sadly our own family members, friends, fellow church members, trusted professionals, and neighbors are often perpetrators of elder abuse.

Why are senior victims unlikely to disclose the abuse? Embarrassment, shame, fear of retaliation, and fear that our vulnerabilities will be used against us to take away our autonomy and rights to make our own choices. Especially when the abuser is family or close friend a victim may also not want the perpetrator to get in trouble. He or she may just want the abuse to stop but not know how.

What should I do if I suspect abuse of a senior in my community? Adult Protective Services is our state's investigation unit for allegations of adult abuse, neglect, and exploitation. You can call day or night to make a report 1-800-352-6513.

What can I do to raise awareness about elder abuse? Talk to your friends, your family, your work mates, your church, fellow group members, about what to look for and how to report it. Write a letter to the editor to help others be aware it can happen to anyone. Keep in touch with older people in your world. Check on an older neighbor or family member or friend. Let seniors know they can trust you to help if they ever need it, that you are a safe person to talk to. Make opportunities for older people to talk to you in private, away from caregivers or other family.

WV Magistrate Court maximum jurisdiction amount doubles to $10,000

For decades the maximum amount you could sue for in WV Magistrate Court was $5,000. Anything above that you had to file in Circuit Court. This is a significant limitation because Magistrate Court is designed to be consumer-friendly even for those litigants who are not represented by lawyers. Circuit Court, on the other hand, is not designed for folks to navigate through without legal representation. Not to say you can't do it, but for example there are very few forms for use by litigants in that court, whereas there are several forms for Magistrate Court including a general Complaint form that can be used to get you in the door for almost anything the Magistrate Court can hear.

The state legislature this year enacted a bill to double the maximum jurisdiction of our Magistrate Courts to $10,000 beginning in June of 2016. [See SB 274 which as passed March 7, 2016 and becomes effective 90 days from passage.]

This offers West Virginians the option of filing lawsuits in the Magistrate Court that previously they may not have been practically able to file at all. For example, if you pay a contractor $8,000 for a new roof, and the job is done poorly and needs to be repaired, it may not have been feasible for you to pay a lawyer $2,500 to represent you especially since you aren't guaranteed to win, and you may not have been able to figure out how to successfully file and pursue the case on your own in Circuit Court. Now you have the option of filing that case in Magistrate Court by yourself using a fill-in-the-blank form Complaint, or hiring an attorney to file it and represent you in Magistrate Court perhaps for a lower fee than for Circuit Court representation, or hiring an attorney to file it and represent you in Circuit Court. You can still legally represent yourself in Circuit Court, but without some legal background and experience you're likely to have a difficult time succeeding on that path. You wouldn't do surgery on yourself, would you? Sometimes hiring a professional is what it takes to get what you need.