Prescott Cole, CANHR’s Senior Staff Attorney, was presented with the prestigious Sentinel Award at the annual conference and luncheon hosted by the Elder Financial Protection Network in San Francisco on March 27. The lifetime achievement award, presented by former Attorney General and current California State Treasurer, Bill Lockyer, was awarded to Mr. Cole for his advocacy to protect elders from financial abuse and exploitation and the prosecution of those who abuse them.

Prescott Cole has been a one–man “elder abuse prevention” band for the past eleven years in his efforts to stop the abuse of elders in institutions and to stop financial abuse. Through litigation, public policy advocacy, legislation and community and legal education, Mr. Cole has been relentless in bringing this issue to the attention of regulators and policy makers.

Prescott has provided training to the staff of most of the state agencies who have jurisdiction over financial abuse issue, including the Attorney General’s Office, the Department of Corporations, the Department of Insurance and legislative staff. He was the inspiration behind Senator Scott’s 2000 bill, AB 2107, the Senior Fraud Prevention Act of 2000 and numerous subsequent elder financial abuse prevention bills. Prescott has been a staff attorney at CANHR for over 13 years, and undoubtedly the best is yet to come. We are proud to have him a part of our advocacy team.