Dawn Business Ideas

Older adults, or seniors are frequently the victims of scams and fraud perpetrated by individuals attempting to make quick money. Loneliness, dementia, or illness can cloud an older adult's judgment. Those who live alone are particularly vulnerable because scam artists often come to them with kind words, expressing such "genuine" concern that they're in a position to obtain a senior's trust.

A scam artist pretending as a senior care professional may inform an older adult that her or his roof must be fixed. The scam artist will do everything possible to help make the senior feel comfortable, while making the need for the repair seem critical. The con artist might make statements like, "The next big rainstorm might cause your roof to collapse, and I would feel awful if that happened . . . Why don't you let me take care of it." "All I need is a small deposit of $100, and you can pay me as you are able." When the $100 is paid, the unsuspecting senior never sees the "repair" person or the deposit again.

A good way to protect seniors from fraud is usually to make sure that they have trusted family, friends or professionals to look out for their best interests. While some seniors might be able to live independently, most need some form of senior care to insure make decisions and reduce the potential risk of being taken advantage of by unscrupulous persons.

Adult children who work full-time are probably not in a position to check on parents as frequently as they would desire. One option is to hire a home care aide or assistant to stop in frequently to make certain the senior has what he or she needs. During this kind of friendly visit, the home care aide could ask questions regarding the senior's day to day activities. Additionally, some home care agencies provide services including helping with chores, buying groceries or paying the bills. Having a regular visitor from a home care agency provides and extra pair of "eyes" and "ears" in the home, which means the potential of someone scamming the senior is reduced.

In most cases, a home health care professional assesses a senior's mental and physical status during the course of visits. In case a senior appears to have problems remembering, or seems too ill to make good decisions, the worker can refer the senior for treatment or recommend other housing options that will reduce the likelihood of the senior becoming a victim of fraud. Insurance may help cover home care in certain situations, particularly if a senior has an ongoing medical problem that requires monitoring. For other situations, there are agencies that provide home care for an hourly fee. Normally the self-pay options are affordable if the senior simply needs short visits.