Iowa has one of the nation’s oldest populations and the elderly face increasing threats from crooks — who sometimes turn out to be people they trusted. This (Friday) is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Amy Ouphachack is an elder rights specialist with the Elderbridge Agency on Aging, based in Fort Dodge.  “We work with local law enforcement and DHS in serving those who have been referred to our program either through financial exploitation, self neglect or abuse in general,” Ouphachack says.

Each year, as many as five-million older Americans are abused, neglected or exploited. They lose two-point-five BILLION dollars — or more — each year, money that could be used to pay for housing, food and medical care. It’s estimated only one in five of these crimes are discovered. Through the Elder Rights Program, Ouphachack handles cases around central Iowa.”The program is voluntary so we generally go in with a soft approach and explain why we’re there and what we can do to help them,” she says. “We keep in contact with the local law enforcement and DHS. We get a lot of referrals from them as well.”

Ouphachack says these cases can happen anywhere, from an individual’s own home to a nursing home to a church. “A recent case I did a consult on was from Rippey where she was power of attorney for her mother,” she says. “She noticed her mother wrote a check for $25,000 to a man at church and couldn’t explain what it was for.”

Proclamations on Elder Abuse Awareness Day will be signed by the mayors in several Iowa communities today, including Fort Dodge, Carroll and Spencer.

(Radio Iowa)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A former Omaha Tribal Council member has pleaded guilty to misusing federal funds. The Sioux City (Iowa) Journal reports that Forrest Aldrich entered the plea Thursday in U.S. District Court in Omaha. The charge: misapplication of health care benefit program funds. His sentencing is set for Sept. 20. Other federal charges were dropped in exchange for his plea.

Morris was one of nine tribal officials charged in a case that accused the officials of misusing federal funds by awarding nearly $389,000 in bonuses to themselves. Officials say the bonuses were paid from Indian Health Service funds meant to provide health care to members of the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska who reside on the Omaha Reservation in Macy in northeastern Nebraska and in western Iowa.

Police in Clarinda, Thursday evening, arrested a New Market man, 52-year old Richard Lance Adkisson, for felony possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, possession of marijuana and driving a motor vehicle while under revocation and failure to wear a seatbelt. Adkisson was arrested following a traffic stop in the 300 block of E. Garfield Street. He was being held in the Page County Jail on $6,000 bail.

Reports concerning the incident have been submitted to the office of Page County Attorney Carl M. Sonksen for review regarding the filing of formal charges.

DUNKERTON, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a 6-year-old child in northeast Iowa died from complications that arose after his appendix burst. Deputies and medics had been called to the child’s home in Dunkerton on Wednesday morning. He was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead. A state medical examiner determined the preliminary cause of death as sepsis, caused by acute peritonitis, caused by acute appendicitis. Final conclusions are pending the results of toxicology tests.

The Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office identified the child as Kanen McIntosh.

Two people were arrested on separate charges Thursday, in Creston. The Creston Police Dept. reports 53-year old Gary Eugene Edwards, of Ankeny, was arrested in Adair County, on a Union County warrant for Violation of a Protection Order. Edwards was being held in the Union County Jail on a $2,300 bond. And, 33-year old Karmyn Kay Watson, of Creston, was arrested for Violation of a Protection Order. She was being held without bond in the Adams County Jail.

Creston Police said also, a woman residing in the 600 block of S. Park Street reported Thursday, someone in Florida had fraudulently charged goods or services to her account. The loss was estimated at $600.

(7-a.m. News)