Grey Power to hold meeting on safety

Grey Power has called a meeting next week to help older people frightened for their safety following the killing of Ted Ferguson and Margaret Waldin.

Manawatu Grey Power president Renetta Dennis said the meeting, on Wednesday in Palmerston North, would discuss ways for elderly people to stay safe in their homes. The police would attend.

"For older folk it is very, very frightening.

"They are very susceptible to damage by the criminal element and this makes it really more real for them when something like this happens."

Following the January slaying of Marton pensioner Mona Morriss, 83, the two deaths in Feilding had had a chilling effect on older people and it would prey on their minds.

Mrs Dennis said the latest murders had happened in a block of pensioner flats, which were among the better places for older people to live independently in safety.

What was really worrying was that such crimes broke down the confidence of older people - who were quite able to live independently - that they were able to live by themselves, and then they had to go into care.

Despite the three killings this year, Mrs Dennis believed Manawatu was generally a safe place for older people.

- NZPA