May
23
Older people can be especially vulnerable to financial abuse or exploitation at the hands of others, usually strangers. Elder abuse is the unauthorized use or illegal taking of funds or property of people aged 60 and above. If you’re a caregiver for older family members who live on their own, it’s important to know the signs of elder financial abuse so that you can take precautions to protect them. Though it can be difficult, the first step is to be able to talk about it. MetLife Mature Market Institute has compiled a report entitled Preventing Elder Financial Abuse For Family Caregivers, with information on executing certain legal documents, to dealing with telephone solicitation and learning to recognize signs, such as a change in mood, appearance, behavior or cognitive impairment. It also provides support resources and a hotline for getting help and reporting fraud.
