Know the Signs of Abuse or Scams Against the Elderly

Thursday, September 15th, 2022 -- 1:00 PM

Like many of us, older adults are often targeted by con artists.

Many victims don’t ask for help until it is too late. Help your friends, family, clients, or patients avoid fraud by knowing the signs of current or impending fraud. Warning signs that fraud may occur include:

• Frequent junk mail and spam calls,
• Unfamiliar payments are being made,
• Acting secretively about phone calls or messages,
• And sudden problems paying bills or buying food and other necessities.

Tips for helping your loved one avoid fraud include:

• Become familiar with common scams targeting older adults;
• Emphasize the criminal nature of telemarketing and email fraud;
• Encourage the person to ignore phone calls and messages that appear suspicious. Don't reply to, or click links within, emails or text messages that they are not familiar with;
• Have a calm discussion about securing accounts and monitoring finances;
• And help the person change their phone number.

The most common types of abuse are physical, emotional, financial, and verbal. The National Council on Aging says up to five million older Americans are abused yearly, and the annual loss by victims of financial abuse is estimated to be at least $36.5 billion.

In Canada, over 10 percent of older adults are victims of crime, and some experience violent crimes or physical abuse. BBB recommends that family, friends, and caregivers learn the signs of abuse or neglect in older adults.

Business owners dealing in the industry can share these signs with employees. Signs of neglect include:

• Lack of basic hygiene, adequate food, or clean and appropriate clothing;
• Missing medical aids or skipped doctor's appointments;
• The person is often unsupervised;
• The person is confined to a bed without regular care;
• The home is overly cluttered, in disrepair, or fire and safety hazards are present;
• A home without adequate facilities (stove, refrigerator, heating, cooling, plumbing, and electric);
• And an untreated pressure sore (bed sores).

Signs of financial abuse or exploitation include:

• Lack of amenities the person could typically afford;
• Giving excessive financial reimbursement or gifts for care and companionship;
• The caregiver controls the person’s money but fails to provide for their needs;
• The caregiver is overly concerned about the person spending money;
• Unexpected or unexplainable property transfers such as a power of attorney or a new will.

Signs of psychological and emotional abuse include:

• Unexplained or uncharacteristic changes in behavior;
• Unexplained weight loss or appetite changes;
• The caregiver isolates the person from others;
• The caregiver is verbally aggressive, uncaring, or demeaning.

Signs of physical abuse include:

• Inadequately explained fractures, bruises, welts, cuts, sores, or burns;
• And unexplained sexually transmitted diseases.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.