Judith Metcalf quoted on MPBN radio and Bangor Daily News on UNE's new role in fighting elder investment fraud

MPBN public radio in a story on Dec. 1 and the Bangor Daily News in a column on Dec. 4, 2011 reported that Maine is going to participate in a national program to fight elder investment fraud, a program in which UNE's Maine Geriatric Education Center will play a central role.

The State of Maine is joining the Elder Investment Fraud and Financial Exploitation prevention program. It will train roughly 200 medical care professionals to spot older patients who might be victims of financial exploitation, and then refer them to adult service professionals and state securities regulators for follow-up.

The UNE’s Geriatric Education Center will take the lead in finding ways to deliver the program to health professionals around the state. Judith A. Metcalf, director of the UNE center, said the center is looking forward to the challenge.

“Many aspects of normal aging and disease can contribute to older adults’ vulnerability to investment fraud and other financial abuse,” Metcalf said.“This program provides an innovative new approach to reduce victimization.”

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.