Senior Protection Earns County Council Praise

Date Added: April 01, 2004 11:00 am

Gary Davidson
Public Information Officer

SENIOR PROTECTION PROGRAM EARNS COUNTY COUNCIL PRAISE 

It was more than 13 years ago that local law enforcement agencies joined forces with AARP and area human service agencies to form a coalition to protect Volusia County’s seniors from being victimized. However, the program, called Triad, had lost some of its energy and focus since its inception in 1991. Last year, under the leadership of the Sheriff’s Office, Triad was revived with a new direction and renewed vitality. So successful have been the efforts that the County Council along with Sheriff Ben Johnson took time out Thursday morning to honor Triad for its ongoing work to improve the quality of life for Volusia’s senior population. “This is a joint effort in the community,” Sheriff Johnson told the Council. “It’s very important that we protect our seniors. They protected us all of these years, and now it’s our turn to protect them.” 

There are approximately 127,000 seniors in Volusia County, which represents about 27.4 percent of the county’s population. Triad brings together local resources in a countywide effort to enhance seniors’ sense of safety and security. The Sheriff’s Office along with local police departments and AARP form the foundation of the program, which focuses on alerting seniors to elder abuse and other crimes and scams that target seniors. Triad is led by Sheriff’s Lieutenant Linda Nasser-Edwards and a Board of Directors that oversees the program. Over the past year, Triad has appointed a new Board of Directors, adopted new operating procedures, established community-based S.A.L.T. (Seniors and Law Enforcement Together) Councils that meet with seniors to hear their concerns and launched a web site (www.volusia.org/sheriff/triad.htm). 

The Board of Directors also has established an ambitious goal of implementing a senior watch program in Volusia County that would utilize volunteers to make wellbeing checks on housebound seniors. The efforts earned a ringing endorsement from the Council, which proclaimed Thursday as “Triad for Volusia County Day.” Among those praising Triad was County Council member Joie Alexander, who serves on Triad’s Board of Directors. “Through their hard work and effort, it has been incredible what they have been able to accomplish this first year back,” said Alexander. “They really work hard at improving the quality of life for our seniors.” Added Council Chair Dwight Lewis: “We have a debt that we owe to everybody that has come along the way. When they get older, they need to be taken care of just as well as when they’re younger.”