Lincoln is on the lookout this week after news of thieves entering the region’s senior facilities and stealing from residents made headlines. While no incidents have been reported in Lincoln yet, assisted living homes in Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and West Virginia have been affected.

In Omaha, a situation arose due to theft at a senior living facility as well, albeit in a different manner. This week, we’re talking about what happened in these instances and what measures The Waterford takes to keep our residents—and their belongings—safe.

What Took Place?

A pair of thieves traveling across the Midwest made local news and caused Lincoln, Nebraska assisted living facilities to double check their security measures. The unidentified pair of women posed as “private duty” staff, wearing scrubs and telling security they were new employees to gain entry to buildings and steal from residents’ rooms. Then, they simply walked from the building. Because the latest attempt took place only two hours south of Beatrice in Smith County, Kansas, Lincoln’s assisted living communities were alerted to the scam. The Smith County Sherriff’s office has asked anyone with information regarding the identities of the women to report it—their phone number is 785-282-5180.

In Omaha, another headline hit newsstands regarding theft at a senior living facility—this time committed by an actual employee. The Douglas County Sherriff’s Office arrested Dallas Baring, 38, for allegedly making around $20,000 worth of purchases using cards stolen from the residents at the facility where she worked. Baring is a former nurse’s aide at Heritage Pointe and admitted using residents’ cards to make purchases including paying utility and power bills. The theft was discovered when a resident’s son noticed strange purchases being made in his parent’s name and called Amazon. A representative from the company provided him with Dallas’ first name and address, and he quickly notified investigators. She is charged with two counts of unauthorized use of a financial transaction device as well as vulnerable adult abuse charges. A police search of Baring’s home recovered more than 30 of the items she is suspected of purchasing online.

What does The Waterford do to Keep Residents Safe?

The Waterford takes our security measures very seriously. All of our doors lock automatically, requiring a code for entry. Our staff is trained to prohibit strangers from entering, taking extra precaution to vet individuals who claim to be family members of a resident of new staff before allowing them access to our facilities. Similarly, each of our staff members is fully vetted to ensure only the best, most qualified individuals come into contact with the ones you love.

Thanks for reading our blog. The Waterford releases new content every other week regarding elderly care, assisted living information and local news that may be of importance to our residents and their families. If you’re looking for a safe, loving community for yourself, a parent or loved one, contact The Waterford today. We’d love to take you on a tour of our facilities and talk about your assisted living options.