The big day is tomorrow, folks. I send this post out today so that you can remember to wear something purple in support of the cause. Will I wear purple? Ummmm, it’s not exactly my color, but I think I have an older Elder Abuse Awareness pin around here somewhere . . . . anyway, this marks the 4^th annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) as declared by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA).

If you want to be really active, you can see if there are any events happening near you by visiting this page and clicking on your country.

What is the extent of elder abuse? Following is according to the INPEA:

Information on the extent of abuse in elderly populations is scant. The few population-based studies that have been conducted suggest that between 4% and 6% of elderly people have experienced some form of abuse in the home. The elderly are also at risk of abuse in institutions such as hospitals, nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. In a survey in the United States, for example, 36 % of nursing-home staff reported having witnessed at least one incident of physical abuse of an elderly patient in the previous year, 10% admitted having committed at least one act of physical abuse themselves, and 40% said that they had psychologically abused patients.

Some of the signs and symptoms of abuse include:

• delays between injuries or illness and seeking medical attention
• implausible or vague explanations for injuries or ill-health, from either patient or caregiver
• differing case histories from patient and caregiver
• frequent visits to emergency departments because a chronic condition has worsened, despite a care plan and resources to deal with this in the home
• functionally-impaired older patients who arrive without their main caregiver
• laboratory findings that are inconsistent with the history provided

Help spread the word tomorrow. Help raise the awareness level. Let’s shed a light on elder abuse.

Egad!
Just when we thought swine flu was a problem, enter the mice!

MSNBC reported that a bed ridden 89-year-old Australian man was mauled by mice. Read from the article:

“An elderly, bedridden gentleman had the tops of his ears severely chewed, his head badly bitten and a very bad wound in the throat,” Hopper said. “His hands were covered in blood when they found him; he’d obviously been so distressed trying to get the mice away.”

Unfortunately, the reality is that care in many nursing homes is far from adequate. Whether it’s abuse, neglect, or simply unclean environments, elders that can’t advocate on their own behalf (or are afraid to) end up suffering in some long-term care facilities. We might expect to read a periodic article like this, but the stunner here is that this particular nursing home is government run!

Federal Minister for Aging Justine Elliot ordered a probe into what the government-run nursing home in Queensland state was doing to protect residents, saying in a statement that the attack was “extremely disturbing and traumatic for residents and their families.”

“Extremely disturbing?” Ya think!?

My wife read the headline of this post as I was writing and asked, “Was Stephen King there?” While it sounds like something from one of his novels, it’s unfortunately not.

Legislative Action Alert!

Concerned about the help you’ll be getting when/if you need long-term care assistance?

Don’t like the thought of an ex-con providing care for a loved one?

A bill has been introduced in the U.S. Senate that anyone with an interest in protecting vulnerable seniors should contact their elected officials about. S 631 – Patient Safety and Abuse Prevention Act is the bill and it’s sponsored by Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) with 13 other Senators as Co-Sponsors

The bill provides for a nationwide expansion of a pilot program for national and State background checks on direct patient access employees of long-term care facilities or long-term care providers. The bill expands on a 3-year pilot project that was authorized under the 2003 Medicare Modernization Act. The pilot project prevented more than 7,000 applicants with criminal records from working with frail seniors. Unfortunately, some long-term care workers have used their positions to abuse elders or steal from them. I would urge anyone reading this to contact their Congressional representatives and urge them to support this bill.

You can locate/contact your U.S. Representative by clicking here. You can locate/contact your U.S. Senator by clicking here.

Tell them ElderGuru.com sent you! ;-)

Building off yesterday’s post on seniors as targets for financial scams, let’s examine some of the most prevalent scams thieves use to swindle older adults.

“You Won the Sweepstakes!” Yeah, right. The senior gets a call or letting saying they won the “prize,” but first they must pay the “fees” or “taxes” before claiming their prize.

Telemarketing and mail solicitation. The thief uses the phone or mail to gather financial information about the senior. They look for credit card numbers, bank accounts, social security numbers, and whatever else they can get to steal identities and/or money. They “sell” goods that never arrive, and services that are never delivered. While not necessarily breaking the law, some insurance salesmen sell insurance that the senior may not need.

“We’ve only known each other for a few weeks, but I love you.” Call this the “sweetheart scam.” A charismatic person comes in, says everything the person wants to hear, fools him/her into thinking their in love, then wipes bank accounts and property clean when the opportunity arises.

“Hi, I can pave your driveway or fix your roof tomorrow for really cheap. I’m in the area with left over materials. Just pay me the deposit and I’ll come back tomorrow, or I’ll go find someone that wants this offer.” Don’t fall for it.

“You hit my car! Give me cash or I’ll call the cops.” Here a crook smears tar or some other substance on the senior’s car that they’ll use as “evidence.” They wait for the senior to return and drive off. Then they chase them down and accuse them of committing a hit and run, demanding payment for the damage or they’ll call the police.

“I’m here to read your water meter in the basement, and to check the line.” Sure, while the crook is occupying the senior’s time with questions they can’t answer, someone else is going through the house.

Many thieves pose as trust worthy individuals, police, government workers, etc. When in doubt – check it out!

A recent post at SeniorsAloud addressed the issue of retirees being easy targets for financial scams. Scam victims are not limited to retirees, of course; but older adults are some of the most highly targeted individuals for fiscal thieves. The blog post ended with the question – why?

My opinion? Seniors are targeted by scam artists for a few reasons:

1. decline in faculties – as abilities decline, people more susceptible to confusion and persuasion
2. intimidation – I dislike the phrase “little old lady,” but in this case it illustrates the vulnerability of an older woman (or man) when confronted by aggressive salesmen or scam artists
3. money – many seniors have cash in the bank
4. trust – seniors are often more trusting than other adults, particularly when it comes to family, who – unfortunately – are the majority of persons committing financial fraud against elders

Seniors will be making up a greater portion of the global population. Financial fraud is the fastest growing form of elder abuse, and will continue to be. A significant number of cases go unreported, particularly when family members commit the crime. Unless far greater consumer education, prevention, and prosecution occurs, more and more seniors will become victims of fraud.

Here are a few warning signs I’ve learned over the years through trainings on elder abuse:

1. the opportunity is only available right now
2. a person on the phone asks for your bank account information and you didn’t initiate the call
3. the person involved seems exceptionally trustworthy, and reassures the senior that this is in his/her best interest
4. the deal seems too good to be true

Caregivers and family members should watch for these warning signs:

1. unusual bank withdrawals that the senior can’t explain
2. missing checks
3. numerous unpaid bills
4. missing property
5. newly formed, close relationships with strangers

If you think you or your loved one has become the victim of financial exploitation, report the issue to your local police department immediately. Do not feel ashamed; it can (and does) happen to anyone.