The senior population is booming. Unfortunately, reports Carolyn Dowdy, lead Elder Abuse Advocate of the Placer County , California Victim Witness Assistance Center, so is abuse of this age group. Whether financial, physical, or emotional, abuse of the elderly is likely to become an increasing problem as this population grows.
Placer County's District Attorney's office has been given a three year grant which funds education, assistance, and prevention of elder abuse. They have a wealth of information available on crime prevention, telephone scams, home security, smart selection of care facilities and caregivers, and the signs of abuse.
I met with Carolyn recently to learn more about elder abuse and what we can do about it. In today's and next week's columns, I'll share with you what I learned. Today let's talk about financial abuse.
Financial abuse is the most rapidly growing segment of elder abuse. A whooping 99% of home improvement scams target seniors, especially women who live alone. Mail and telemarketing scams are a lucrative multibillion dollar business.
There are common types of consumer crimes which often target seniors. Your greatest protection is educating yourself and knowing what to watch for. The scam artists are counting on your ignorance!
First, don't assume all sales pitches and sales calls are legitimate. And don't be afraid of hanging up on a persistent caller. It's not rude, it's smart. Make sure your red flags go up if you're told you have to act "right now" or an offer won't be good. Never pay for "postage and handling" , "taxes", or other charges in order to claim a "free" gift, vacation, or prize.
Never send money, and never give out your credit card or account number until you have carefully considered a business offer and have read their written material. If they won't send you written materials, forget them.
If they're a charity you never heard of, don't donate until you learn more. If it's an investment that sounds too good to be true or guarantees fast money, your radar should be going off.
To rub salt in the wound, if you do fall prey to a scam, the crooks are likely to phone you later and offer to "get your money back"! This common con trick is called "reloading".
No matter how polite and friendly you consider yourself, and how safe you think your neighborhood is, please consider never, ever opening the door to a stranger. Absolutely install a peep hole and feel free to "look and then ignore". Really, this is your home, and you are not obliged to even talk to an uninvited stranger knocking at your door. Do not open the door to tell them you're not interested! Just ignore it or yell "not interested" through the door and walk away.
If you are victimized, call local police and also call the Victim Assistance Center. They can help in many ways, from offering free counseling to helping you clean up and do minor home repairs if you've been burglarized. They even pay for damaged personal items like glasses, hearing aids, and dentures.
Report it immediately. Shove your embarrassment aside for your own and your neighbors sake. They may be the next victim in line.
Dr. Moore is a licensed psychologist and Founder and Director of Fall Creek Associates. She is President of the Sacramento Psychological Association, adjunct faculty member in the School of Psychology at the Fielding Graduate Institute, teaches classes through The Learning Exchange, and frequently appear as a guest on public service programs having to do with psychology and emotional wellness. She has also written a newspaper column called Senior Wellness, which focuses on general psychology topics as well as those of special interest to senior readers. In addition to working with private clients, she welcomes the opportunity to disseminate information on psychology and mental health issues to the general public through her PsychPages website.
