Devastating hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, fires, across many parts of the U.S. leave people vulnerable. Aging parents, often far away from family, are especially at risk. When disaster strikes, scammers see opportunity. The waters after Ian haven’t even receded, and ripoff artists are already scheming how to take advantage of people. They move fast. They can […]
Most of us want to live long healthy lives, and we know we’re supposed to exercise, but going to a gym can seem like just too much. And then there’s the time it takes. “I don’t have time to exercise” seems to be the number one excuse for avoiding the couch when we’re not at […]
Briana called AgingParents.com in distress. She was feeling panicky and angry. Her 80-year-old mother, Rhonda, had just bought another new car she could not afford. Briana explained that her mother’s funds were limited, but she kept insisting on living the life she had before her husband passed. Her parents had depleted their assets in the […]
The United States of Aging Survey, conducted by the National Council on Aging (NCOA), UnitedHealthcare and USA TODAY reported on seniors’ perspectives on aging and what concerns them. Of interest is what doesn’t seem to concern them so much: taking care of their health. The survey was comprised of 4,000 telephone interviews, including nationally representative samples of Americans ages […]
Financial abuse of elders is growing. This is not surprising! The Office of Financial Protection For Older Americans documents that banks and other institutions filings of “suspicious activity reports” quadrupled between 2013 and 2017. Elders among us are being victimized by predators of all stripes, starting with family members. According to this government agency, checking […]
Healthy aging stories always inspire me, especially about older athletes. This one was a jaw-dropper, unlike anything I had ever seen. I wrote about it some time ago but it bears repeating. It’s an unforgettable true story! As reported long ago by CNN and New York affiliate WHAM, a man broke into the house of […]
You may know some aging folks who are staying in their own homes with caregivers helping as they lose independence. By far, most people want to stay in their own homes rather than go to a senior community. Maybe you’ve never calculated what that can cost. Medicare does not pay for home care, as it […]
Families are frustrated. When someone thinks a person is taking financial advantage of an aging parent, the public message is an urge to report to Adult Protective Services. APS, sometimes called by other names, is a local government entity tasked with investigating complaints about elders. They, in turn can report evidence of a crime to […]
“I never thought I would live this long”. That’s what Marsha’s mom says about being 97. It’s great that she has survived a heart attack, a broken hip 2 years ago, and a brush with cancer. Aggressive medical care got her through all of those episodes. Marsha loves her mom, and is glad she’s still […]
What Does It Mean When We Say An Elder Has “Diminished Capacity”? Lawyers may throw around the term “diminished capacity” in dealing with elders because they have to be aware of elders signing things they may not understand. Lawyers are supposed to protect against that. Financial advisors use the term in a general way, suggesting […]
