"Hello, Mrs. Gordon. I'm calling to congratulate you. You are the newest winner of the Irish Sweepstakes."
"Stakes, steaks? What are you talking about? I haven't eaten steak in years."

That's the beginning of one of the skits volunteer actors organized by Lyric Theatre of Burlington and the Community of Vermont Elders are using to inform seniors about the perils of complicated benefit systems and just plain fraud.

Identity theft, errors in Medicare billing, Medicare scams, medicines stolen by caregivers: Complicated benefit programs and simple fraud can make the world especially dangerous for older people. Enter the "Savvy Seniors" – volunteer actors based in Burlington and in central Vermont who describe the dangers and give advice with a laugh. With no boring lectures, they make the ditsy old lady who consumes her friend's medicines come alive and recognizable. They show how easy it is to be taken in by a telephone messenger announcing that you have won the Irish Sweepstakes and all you need to do is give the caller your bank account number for him to transfer the money to you.

In 2003, COVE became one of 57 projects nation-wide, funded by the Older Americans Act, to disseminate information about common senior scams. But the lecture and handout format proved boring and redundant, says Anita Hoy, COVE's director of the project. Then Hoy had a conversation with Syndi Zook, director of Lyric Theatre, who had a special relationship with senior issues. Before joining Lyric, she had been director of the Burlington Senior Center for 18 years. Zook remembered how successful a traveling senior chorus had been during her tenure, and she started to think about a traveling acting troupe, which would convey the information about scams with humor and directness.

"The Savvy Senior shows work because they are funny, but real," says Zook. The actors, all experienced Lyric volunteers, are the same age as the seniors in the audiences. They know what they're talking about, even bringing in examples of the fraudulent insurance solicitations they receive. The people in the audience recognize the mailings."

Each show is made up of four to five short skits for a total of about forty minutes. The topics vary – reminding people to read their quarterly Medicare notices to check for errors, noting that "free wheelchairs" are never free, showing how caregivers in the home may be stealing your medicines, warning people about giving out their Social Security number or bank account IDs to people who may sound perfectly reasonable.

Ken Wolvington of Burlington, retired in 1988 from General Electric and a long-time theatre enthusiast – acting, directing, and writing scripts for Lyric - writes many of the skits. "It's easier to get the message across with a laugh," he says. "We all have a great time doing this. It's really fun, and the audiences are very responsive."

The "Savvy Seniors" have responded to requests for performances from a variety of  groups – in senior centers and housing complexes, from Rotary meetings to Senior Companion. "Theater is one of the oldest ways of distributing information." Says Zook.  "The message comes across so much better when it's presented on stage."

Audrey Arnold of South Burlington joined the "Savvy Seniors" 18 months ago because "she just loves to act." She has kept her hand in with local theatre productions thorough a checkered career as a teacher, mental health program administrator, postal worker trainer, masseuse, and personal health consultant. She encourages people who want to try acting to join the "Savvy Seniors." "You don't need experience," she says. "Just some enthusiasm and a flair for communicating. We have a lot of fun." 

For more information about the "Savvy Seniors" and to schedule a performance, contact Anita Hoy, 1-888-865-2683, anita@vermontelders.org; or Syndi Zook, 802-658-1484, director@lyrictheatrevt.org

Don't Be Scammed!

• Treat your Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security numbers like a credit card number. Never give these numbers to a stranger.
• Remember, Medicare does not call or visit to tell you something.
• Don't carry your Medicare or Medicaid card unless you need it. Only take it to doctor's appointments, visits to the hospital or clinic, or trips to the pharmacy.
• Record all doctor visits, tests, and procedures in your personal healthcare journal or calendar.
• Save Medicare summary Notices and part D Explanation of Benefits. Shred the documents when they are no longer useful.
• If you are uncomfortable calling your provider or plan or you are not satisfied with the response you get, call COVE toll-free at 1-888-865-2683

Barbara Leitenberg writes on senior issues for the Champlain Valley Agency on Aging. This article originally appeared in the Burlington Free Press.