Live Free Home Health Care, LLC. - Bristol, New Hampshire

All posts within: exploitation

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Financial Abuse: Protect Your Elderly Loved Ones

Financial abuse costs elderly Americans more than $2.6 billion a year. Help educate yourself and your elderly loved ones about this serious form of abuse by following these simple steps.

Step 1: Recognize the “red flags” of fraud. Fraud can manifest itself in many ways, including:

 Promises to win or make money easily

 Attempting to scare an individual into purchasing something

 Refusal to send information before the senior agrees to buying

In these circumstances, seniors should know that it is illegal for companies to ask someone to pay money in order to receive prize winnings or suggest that a purchase will increase chances of winning a prize. Also, there is no reason to give credit card or banking information to a telemarketer unless a purchase is actually being made, and if payment is “required” before receiving information about an offer, it is likely a scam.

Step 2: Recognize financial victimization. An elder may be in danger of being financially victimized if he or she:

 Receives a lot of mail for contests or sweepstakes

 Gets calls from people offering deals or requesting donations to charities

 Subscribes to a large number of magazines

 Has difficulty paying bills

 Receives lots of cheap “knick-knacks” as “prizes”

Remember, don't be overly critical of your loved one if he or she has fallen for telemarketing or other financial scams. Con artists are very good at what they do and often prey on the elderly who are lonely and enjoy having someone to talk to.

If your loved one has been victimized in these ways, report actual or attempted fraud to the National Fraud Information Center, 800-876-7060. That information will be transmitted to law enforcement agencies. Change the elder's phone number if con artists call repeatedly, and change his or her bank account or credit card numbers if they have fallen into the hands of thieves. Contact Live Free Home Health Care for further information on how to protect your loved ones from elder abuse.

Tags:   elder abuse, exploitation

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Know Your Rights!

Being in the care of another person does not negate the care recipient's rights. If you are an elder who is being cared for by a family or professional caregiver, or you have a loved one in care, it is important to know the rights of the elder in order to prevent abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

An elderly individual has the right to:

 Be treated and cared for with dignity and respect

 Be free from coercion, abuse, neglect, etc.

 Make decisions and choices regarding his or her personal or financial affairs or care

 Designate a guardian or financial representative

 Review all requested financial records

 Complain about treatment or care

 Privacy while attending to personal needs

 Be fully informed of personal medical conditions and treatment

 Participate in planning of his or her treatment and care

Never let fear or shame keep you from reporting elder abuse. If you have any questions regarding elder rights or how to report elder abuse, feel free to contact Live Free Home Health Care for more information.

Tags:   caregiver tips, elder abuse, eldercare, exploitation

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Knowing the Types of Elder Abuse

Elder abuse, an often silent problem throughout the country, can take many forms. Abused seniors rarely report their own abuse due to a fear of retaliation or that no one else will take care of them. It is important for family members and caregivers to be aware of the signs and symptoms of elder abuse in order to protect their elderly loved ones and clients. At times, abuse symptoms may mimic signs of dementia or general frailty, but don't be too quick to dismiss them.

Physical abuse is the type that we often think of when the issue of mistreatment comes up, and it represents 25% of all abuse cases among the elderly. Some signs of physical abuse are easy to spot—bruises, cuts, broken bones, etc.—but there are often subtler signs of physical abuse that you may not recognize. Sudden changes in a senior's behavior or refusal of the caregiver to allow visitors to see the senior can also be signs that physical abuse is taking place.

Emotional abuse occurs when a caregiver belittles, threatens or otherwise takes advantage of a senior's emotions. If you witness a caregiver displaying this behavior toward the senior or notice that the senior is displaying signs of dementia—rocking, sucking, or mumbling to himself or herself—these could be signs that the senior is being emotionally abused.

Sexual abuse is defined as any unwanted sexual contact, and it can be difficult to diagnose. Signs to watch out for include bruises around breasts or genitals, unexplained venereal diseases, unexplained vaginal or anal bleeding, torn, stained or bloody underclothing.

Family members should make a point to call and visit their elderly loved ones often. If any signs of elder abuse are witnessed or suspected, they should be reported immediately. Call Live Free Home Health Care today to learn more about how we can provide the best care for seniors and the homebound in the Central New Hampshire area and provide much needed respite to family caregivers to protect against abuse.

Tags:   elder abuse, exploitation

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.

Wednesday, June 08, 2011

Risk Factors for Elder Abuse

Elder abuse is, sadly, a real problem, one that often goes undetected. However, there are signs to watch out for to help you notice and prevent abuse from happening. When a senior is placed in the care of either a family member or a professional caregiver, it is important to fully understand not only the caregiver's background and personality, but also that of the senior. If you are considering placing a loved one in home care, there are several factors to be aware of that may put elderly individuals at a higher risk for elder abuse. Family members and caregivers should be aware of the following risk factors:

 Dependency: A senior dependent on others for care may be reluctant to speak up about any abuse because they do not feel safe reporting their abuser due to the dependency.

 Decreased physical health and mobility: Dementia, Alzheimer’s and/or increased dependency for assistance with the activities of daily living may raise an elder’s risk of being abused. The elder may not be capable of explaining or verbalizing the abuse.

 The elder was at one time an abusive parent or spouse: In many cases the perpetrators of elder abuse were once abused themselves, creating a cycle of abuse.

 Social isolation: Isolation is often the result of deaths of contemporaries, spouses, siblings and friends. Abusers often try to keep an elder isolated by:

◦ Refusing to apply for economic aid or services

◦ Resisting outside help

◦ Changing social and healthcare providers frequently to make it difficult to assess the elder's situation

◦ Keeping family and friends from having contact with the elder

 Caregiver burnout: An overworked caregiver can become depressed and stressed, causing him or her to lash out at the elder he or she is caring for.

As a family member of a loved one in care, be mindful of these risk factors, call and/or check in on the senior as often as possible, and play an active role in his or her care. As a caregiver, be aware of signs of burn out—frustration, depression, despair—and seek help for ways to safely deal with these feelings.

Live Free Home Health Care of Central New Hampshire can help you and your loved ones learn about and prevent elder abuse. Our respite care program is there to assist caregivers, giving them the break that they need, while providing quality care to their loved ones. Call us today to find out more.

Tags:   caregiver, elder abuse, exploitation

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Battling Junk Mail and Phone Sales Exploitation in Seniors

Nobody likes to deal with junk mail or those annoying sales calls that come on a weeknight during dinnertime. But for a lonely senior, sometimes that mail or those calls feel more like an invitation. And unfortunately, solicitors know this and sometimes exploit seniors because of it. One daughter told me how she discovered her aging mother had five subscriptions to one magazine. When she questioned her mother about it, her mother simply replied that she didn’t recall signing up for that magazine at all. However, a quick look at the checkbook revealed several checks made out to the same subscription company for that title.

As our parents start to become frail and cognitive abilities decline, it is important to recognize the signs to identify and protect against elder fraud.

Seniors need to know that:

- It is illegal for companies that operate contests or sweepstakes to ask one to pay to enter or claim a prize or even suggest that chances of winning will improve if there is a purchase.

- It’s illegal for telemarketers to ask for a fee upfront to help get a loan if they guarantee or strongly imply that the loans will be made.

- There is no reason to give a credit card number or bank account number to a telemarketer unless a payment is actually being made with that account.

- If payment is required before getting detailed information about the offer, it’s probably a scam.

For more tips on how to protect against elder fraud, click here, and to learn more about how Live Free Home Health Care can keep a loved one safe and provide companionship and personal care in the comfort of home, call (603) 217-0149.

Tags:   elder abuse, exploitation

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.

Page 1 of 2 pages  1 2 >