Archive for the 'Caregiver stress' Category
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We hear about this far too many times: a vulnerable elderly person gets a phone call, letter or email promising lottery winnings, inheritances, or some other vast sum of money. All they need to do, they’re told, is to provide bank account information and and some other personal details. Elderly people who are isolated, stressed, and struggling to handle day-to-day finances on their own are especially vulnerable to these schemes.
I read about a shocking recent case in the Wall Sreet Journal, ‘A Family’s Fight to Save an Elder From Scammers,’ and it has some helpful tips on protecting the seniors you love. Most importantly:
- Sign up their cellphones and landlines on the FTC’s Do Not Call Reigstry at DoNotCall.gov
- Put a short script by the phone for responding to telemarketers, something like “I’m very busy right now and cannot talk. Please remove me from your list.”
- Call the AARP Foundation’s Fraud Fighter Call Center at 1-800-646-2283
If the loved one has responded to a scammer, be supportive, not critical or judgmental. Explain that it happens to many people, and they are not alone.
Have you had any experiences with the seniors in your life being targeted by scammers or victimized by fraud operations?
The FTC estimated that more than 30 million people were victims of marketing frauds in 2005 alone, and the numbers are rising.
My name is Jack Merrick and I created this blog as a forum for sharing ideas, experiences and insights about caring for aging family members. Your comments and feedback are welcome! We look forward to connecting with people who are facing the challenges of caring for elderly loved ones, balancing caregiving with busy lives and competing responsibilities.
I manage an in-home care organization called Good Company Senior Care. Together with my wife Margot and our superstar team of caregivers, we work with seniors and their families across Los Angeles County and the Inland Empire. Our clients are typically in their late-70s, 80s or 90s, and want to live in their own homes rather than moving to nursing homes or assisted living facilities. Read the rest of this entry »