Safety Precautions to Prevent Elderly Financial Abuse
The person most likely to financially take advantage of an elderly individual is someone close to them. A neighbor, a friend, and a family member are the ones most likely to take advantage of unsuspecting seniors. Financial abuse can be anything from money, to property or even valuables.
Elderly individuals who have dementia or Alzheimer’s are especially at risk because they are unaware of what is going on and they are most often not able to understand when someone is taking advantage of them. The cases are especially tragic when an elderly loved one has given the power of attorney to someone they do not know and who are not licensed as caregivers. To better protect your loved one, ask for the appropriate credentials when trying to find the right caregiver. For example: inquiring whether or not they are licensed in the state of Arizona, asking how long they have been practicing, their specialty, the amount of assets under their control, and a good number of references and a detailed resume. Background checks are also encouraged.
You can never be too careful when it comes to the care of your loved one. There are too many predators out there that are just waiting for the opportunity to present itself. Take the extra safety measures and spend a good amount of time looking for the right person to take care of your loved one. You do not want to pick up the pieces of a criminal and leave your elderly loved one with the damage.
