The Police Department's Senior Services program wins praise from the Florida Council on Aging.
By JILL ANN PERRINO
Published August 30, 2005
LARGO - When 63-year-old Helen Gray had an altercation with a relative that left her bruised and upset, she needed someone to talk to.
"Nothing like this had ever happened before," she said.
But having recently lost her mother and two brothers and with her daughter dealing with a terminal illness, Gray felt she was without support.
"I didn't know who to call," she said.
Then she remembered hearing about the Largo Police Department's Senior Services program, so she called the police.
The program was wonderful, Gray said. Senior Services Officer Rayshall Poinsette responded quickly, arranging for mediation and a referral for family counseling. Now, Gray said, she and her relative are working toward forgiveness and reconciliation.
She credits Poinsette for what she thinks will be a happy ending.
Serving seniors like Gray is what police Chief Lester Aradi had in mind when he created the program in fall 2002.
Last week, Largo received the Quality Senior Living Award for service by an organization at the Florida Council on Aging's conference in Orlando. The award is given to a business or private or public organization that does not have service to seniors as its primary focus but "has nonetheless served them in an outstanding way," according to the council.
On hand to receive the award were Poinsette, Aradi, Mayor Robert E. Jackson and Sgt. Mike Short, who supervises the program.
"It was a smart move on the part of the chief to create the Senior Services program," Jackson said. "And it is reassuring to know that the needs of our citizens are being met."
Because of Largo's large senior population - 36 percent of the city's 70,000 residents are over 59 - assigning an officer to deal with the elderly makes sense in using resources wisely, police say.
"Designating an officer who specifically deals with senior issues frees up other officers to continue with their work," Short said.
Poinsette is able to take the time needed to help with seniors' problems. For instance, she recently found housing for an 88-year-old man who had been living in his truck. But first she needed to spend time earning his trust before he could accept her help.
"We deal with seniors whose problems have germinated a long time," Aradi said. "Solutions are not immediate."
Other issues are more easily addressed, like when she was able to resolve the problem of a tree trimmer who overcharged an elderly resident.
"I called (the tree trimmer) and said, "This is Officer Poinsette,"' she said. "That got his attention."
The program also can help out-of-state family members who are concerned about the welfare of elderly relatives or counsel older drivers who might need to give up their licenses but are concerned about losing their independence.
Whatever the problem, Short and Aradi agree that Poinsette is ideal for the job because of her compassion and understanding of seniors' needs.
Short said Poinsette's "natural personality and demeanor for this type of work" and her life experiences - 23 years with the Largo police, 11 of those as a school resource officer, being a single parent and a caregiver for her own elderly relatives - prepare her well for the position.
Poinsette, 50, says she loves her job and that she gets back as much as she gives. While resolving issues may take weeks in the case of vulnerable seniors with no family support, she said she wants to be sure that no senior "falls through the cracks."
At high risk from crime, often isolated and confused, many seniors don't know where to turn. Poinsette hopes that more city residents know they can call her if they have personal issues.
Education also is part of the Senior Services program. Poinsette is available to give individual or group presentations on topics such as personal safety, consumer fraud, crime prevention, dependent assistance, caregivers and scam artists.
In addition, program administrators hope residents will learn to look out for their elderly neighbors.
If you suspect abuse, if you think your elderly neighbors need assistance, if you think they are being scammed or if you know their habits but haven't seen them for a while, Short said, you should call police so Poinsette can check up on them.
