Most Community Minded Business, Police & Crime Commissioner for Cleveland Awards - Home Instead (Cleveland)

Recipient: Home Instead (Cleveland)

Date: Wednesday 22 Nov 2017

Home Instead Senior Care cleveland were delighted to have been awarded the 'Most Community Minded Business Award' at the Police & Crime Commissioner for Clevelands' Local Hero Community Safety Awards 2017. This for all the work that we do to Protect the Elderly from Fraud. In response to an increase in targeted criminal activity towards the elderly in Cleveland, we developed and duly launched a Home Instead Senior Fraud Awareness Programme across Cleveland and the surrounding area. The programme educates people in the community about scams and frauds to prevent them happening in the first place. Hundreds upon hundreds of people have now attended and have been shocked and surprised by the types and styles of crime being perpetrated and the ease by which fraudsters con money out of people in this area. Attendees have been very thankful to have been made aware of the very practical tools and techniques required to stop these fraudsters in their tracks and avoid becoming victims themselves. Many family members and neighbours of elderly people have directly benefited from the free public education programme. The anguish, worry and trauma caused to them and the destruction of their emotional wellbeing as they try to protect their loved ones health, wellbeing, life savings and other assets at home is being greatly minimised. Baroness Newlove, the Victims’ & Witnesses’ Commissioner for the House of Lords has also been very interested in the combined efforts of the Police; Police & Crime Commissioner; Victims Care & Advice Service along with Home Instead Senior Care to help victims and prevent more people becoming victims of fraud in the Community. She was eager to draw upon the very good work being conducted in Cleveland in order that she could look at sharing ‘best practice’ and new initiatives for the prevention and benefit of victims of crime, nationwide.