McKinley discusses issues faced by senior citizens

FAIRMONT — U.S. Rep. David McKinley met with a dozen representatives Thursday to seek solutions for issues faced by senior citizens.

McKinley, R-W.Va., started the meeting and explained that he will spend two weeks in Washington, D.C., followed by one week in West Virginia before returning to Washington for another two weeks. While he is in the state, he will meet with different groups and representatives to discuss various topics.

During the forum, which took place at the Falcon Center at Fairmont State University, five questions were addressed, which skated around the topic of issues that senior citizens face. The questions were about what is needed to provide quality services to seniors, challenges that seniors in rural areas face, the nutritional needs of seniors, the financial abuse of seniors and what could be done to keep Medicare and Social Security functional.

After two hours of discussion, seven topics from the discussion were written down as something a policy could be written about. Those seven were broken down into three to be focused on.

The first was about having more bank involvement during the financial abuse of seniors. The group discussed how at times, some seniors can be used financially by their families.

Banks may notice suspicious activity and a law could create a process for banks to follow to report potential abuse.

The second point was to have harsher penalties for those convicted of abusing seniors.

The third topic was providing access to senior services to more seniors.

These points will be looked into more thoroughly by McKinley and his staff to determine which could fit as bills or amendments in Congress.

“We have got to sell harder that there is a real issue here,” McKinley said. “I think it came subtly — we have all kinds of laws that take care of children, but our parents reach a point that they can be just as vulnerable as our children and we better do a better job and (have) a better way of approaching that problem.”

During the forum, the different ways in which seniors have been taken advantage of were discussed. McKinley said this discussion showed there is a need to protect seniors more.

McKinley explained that getting a bill or amendment involved would be difficult, as it is with all legislation. In order to pass an amendment or a bill, McKinley said he and his staff have to be “vigilant.”

The panel consisted of West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services Commissioner Robert Roswall; state Sen. Roman Prezioso, D-Marion, Monongalia; Delegate Ruth Rowan, R-Hampshire; Delegate Larry Williams, D-Preston; Northwestern Area Agency on Aging Director Lynn Dispasquale; Dr. Kenneth Hilsbos, a family physician and doctor at Fairmont Regional Medical Center; Adrianne Davis, the director of Nursing in Parkersburg; Josh Bernstein, of the Association of Mature American Citizens; Debbie Harvey, the director of Marion County Senior Citizens Inc.; Mark Knabenshue, the executive director of the Hancock County Senior Center; Janie Lou White, the director of the Preston County Senior Center; and Scott Mallery, from Aging and Family Services in Mineral County.

Email Richard Babich at rbabich@timeswv.com or follow him on Twitter @rbabichTWV.