A member of AARP helps a local senior with his taxes. The Commission on Aging supports senior programs like the tax assistance one as a means of preventing fraud and other abuses. Photo by: Scott Thomas Anderson

Retirement is usually referred to as "the golden years." For victims of elder abuse, however, it can be a much darker period in life, one marked by monetary ruin and even terror. With authorities in Amador County investigating roughly 23 cases of elder abuse a year, law enforcement and senior advocates alike are speaking out on the need to be aware of what's happening in the elderly community.

The threat to seniors has two major aspects to it, explained Amador County Sheriff Martin Ryan - physical abuse and financial infiltration. The looting of assets and bank accounts by individuals posing as trusted caregivers has become a serious concern, in particular.

"Our seniors are such an integral part of our community here in Amador," Ryan observed, "and unfortunately there's a certain amount of that population that gets targeted by con artists. Sometimes it's an unscrupulous family member, but more often it's an outside source. The people who commit these types of crimes are usually individuals who make their living off their ability to take advantage of others."

One such individual was Andrea Consolo, who wormed her way into the life of a 63-year-old conservatee suffering from Alzheimer's. Consolo sold the victim's home and used the proceeds to buy a residence in South Carolina. In August 2006, she was sentenced to five years of probation and eventually ordered to pay $506,535 in restitution. A similar case was that of Willie Norton, who fraudulently transferred two properties belonging to his 75-year-old sister into his own name. Norton was sentenced to 16 months in state prison in December 2007.

A large number of local seniors suffered when Kathleen Thueson embezzled more than $100,000 from her own property management business in 2003 to support a gambling addiction. Of her 70 victims, most were elderly. Thueson did 120 days in jail and was ordered to pay more than $133,000 in restitution.

While crimes of a financial nature may constitute the majority of elder abuse cases, horror stories of physical abuse also occur. In April 2002, Stephen Cantando was sentenced to two years in state prison for criminal neglect of his 76-year-old mother, who withered away during a six-month period in which she lost a quarter of her body weight and developed infected bedsores that ultimately killed her. During this time, Cantando had been receiving money from the Department of Social Services to care for his Alzheimer's-stricken mother.

In October 2007, David Jackson pled guilty to murder in the second degree, after law enforcement looked into the death of a 73-year-old Ione man at an assisted care facility. The Ione Police Department initially received a report of a possible suicide, but Jackson, a fellow resident at the facility and acquaintance of the victim's, admitted to the crime.

The case of Mary Cantando - no relation to Stephen Cantando - who was arrested for stabbing a 66-year-old man in the head with a hunting knife, was still before Amador Superior Court at the end of last year.

"From a law enforcement perspective, we take these crimes against our seniors - whether physical or financial in nature - very seriously," Ryan said.

Because seniors are Amador County's largest demographic, law enforcement recently experienced a scare when it looked like the Vertical Prosecution Block Grant Program might be lost to the state's budget crisis. The program has kicked in between $116,000 and $130,000 for a part-time investigator and part-time prosecutor assigned by the District Attorney's Office to delve into crimes that affect the elderly.

According to District Attorney Todd Riebe, holding onto the county's experts for crimes against seniors is paramount. "These are the only dedicated elder abuse investigators in the county," Riebe said. "It's pretty critical once you develop the (personnel) expertise, especially given the dynamics in the county."

While vigilant cops and special investigators can help bring those who abuse the elderly to justice, experts say prevention requires a partnership between senior advocates, law enforcement and the general public. Laurie Webb, executive director of the Amador Senior Center and member of the Commission on Aging, believes stopping elderly abuse lies in keeping seniors engaged in the community.

"One of the key things that gets seniors in trouble is becoming isolated from the outside world," Webb explained. "It's when they don't have numerous people that they can trust and turn to that they often fall victim to individuals perpetrating fraud against them and, in some cases, harming them."

Knowing this, the Commission on Aging launched a subcommittee called the Isolated Seniors Task Force.

"The task force is reaching out to seniors who find themselves on the margins and letting them know they are not alone," Webb said. "We're establishing connections and making sure they know they have people to help so they don't feel so vulnerable."

Webb credited the sheriff's office for working closely with the task force and having a sergeant involved in the group's regular meetings. In return, the task force is helping Ryan promote a new program for which the elderly can sign up. It provides the sheriff's office with knowledge of where hidden residence keys are located so officers can gain quick access when conducting welfare checks.

"It takes some cooperation between a lot of groups and agencies to work on keeping our seniors safe," Ryan acknowledged. "But I think everyone knows how important it is to look out for them."