State Attorney General presents new program to protect elderly

The state Attorney General was in Schuylkill County yesterday to introduce a new program to protect the elderly from abuse.

Attorney General Tom Corbett was accompanied by local officials in presenting the program at the Tamaqua Hi-Rise Tuesday.

Schuylkill County has already addressed the growing problem of elder abuse, forming a task force in 2005. The group includes officials from local government, social services and the legal community. The additional services to be offered by the Attorney General's office will help prosecute those who prey on the elderly, a significant part of the county’s population.

Crimes against the elderly include physical and emotional abuse, as well as a host of financial scams.