Page 15 - Sentinel July 2017

SENIORS Continued from page 14 CONSUMER ALERT
today; did you know that we have 47 volunteers over the age From the District Attorney’s Office • 18th Judicial District
of 65? And our oldest volunteer is 85! So, I would say, we are George H. Brauchler, District Attorney • Arapahoe, Douglas,
aging out loud, aging with choices, and aging with pride. Elbert and Lincoln Counties
National Facts about Americans 65+ COLORADO IS A BIG HIT . . .
FOR FLY-BY-NIGHT ROOFING SCAMS
1. Over the past ten years, the 65 and over population increased
by 30% to 47.8 million. It is expected to double to 98 million Two things are inevitable this time of year in Colorado – hail-
in 2060. storms and “storm-chasers,” dishonest roofing contractors who
2. The 85+ population is projected to triple from 6 .7 million show up at the door the morning after a storm. While it may
14.6 million in 2040 — and those over 100 now total almost seem convenient to choose a door-to-door contractor, nearly all
77,000. of the roofer complaints received by the district attorney’s office
3. Older women outnumber older men (26.7 million to 21.1 involve such fly-by-night operators looking to swindle unsus-
million). And nearly half of all older women live alone. pecting homeowners, especially elders. The first line of defense
4. Only 3.1% of the 65+ population live in institutional set- is to know what to look for when choosing a reliable contractor,
tings. which means never making a hasty decision. If you suspect hail
5. Douglas County, Colorado, has one of the highest percent in- damage to your roof or home, contact your insurance company
crease in people age 65+ between 2005 and 2015 in the nation. first to get an estimate. Ask for a list of approved contractors,
6. Between 1970 and 2016, the percentage of older persons who then check to verify that the information on these businesses
had completed high school rose from 28% to 86%. is up to date. Insurance companies don’t always have the most
7. Approximately 1 million grandparents age 60 and over are current information.
responsible for the basic needs of one or more grandchildren
under 18 living with them. Items to check for:
• Is the company registered to do business in the state? Check
Neighbor Network is proud to be a part of Older American to see how long each company has been in business and if they
Month, though our supportive programs and services go all have a permanent address. This information can be obtained
year round because sometimes aging can be challenging, but it on the Colorado Secretary of State website at: https://www.sos.
sure beats the alternative! state.co.us.

Let’s all Age Out Loud together – Karie Erickson • Is the business licensed to do work in your city or county?
Get the license number of each business and verify the numbers
Neighbor Network, Your Aging Resource Center with the building department in the city/county where the work
100 Third Street, Castle Rock, 303-814-4300 will be performed. Contractors cannot pull a building permit
www.dcneighbornetwork.org unless they are licensed.

• Is the business insured and bonded? How many employees are
THE SIGHTS covered under the policy? It should reflect an adequate number
OF SUMMER of employees for the work that needs to be done. Ask for proof
of insurance. The Colorado Roofing Association maintains a
listing of member businesses that are current with this informa-
tion at: www.coloradoroofing.org

• Get a referral list and contact recent customers. What do they
say about the business, and how did the business respond to
complaints? The Better Business Bureau website is another
good source of information: https://www.bbb.org/denver.

• Get estimates from each of the companies and compare costs
before making a decision.

Factors to consider regarding contracts:

A work order is not sufficient. The formal agreement should
be an actual contract that conforms to the requirements under
Colorado Senate Bill 38 – legislation that was signed into law
in 2012 to protect consumers from fly-by-night roofers. Among
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Perry Park Sentinel July 2017 - Page 15