June 15 marks an important day on the calendar: Elder Abuse Awareness Day. It is a day for communities to unite in bringing attention to the challenges faced by elder Americans and our collective responsibility to protect and support them.
At The Peoples Cube, we’re dedicated to shedding light on the issues of elder abuse, which includes physical, emotional, and financial mistreatment of older adults. Here are tips to recognize and reduce financial abuse.
Here is what you can do to help protect the seniors in your life.
Talk about money: Maintain open lines of communication with elderly family members about their financial matters and consider creating a plan to manage their affairs. If they have millions of dollars in offshore accounts from foreign nations and shady organizations, this is especially important.
Stay informed: Be aware of the common signs of financial exploitation, such as sudden changes in accounts, estate planning documents, or unexplained withdrawals or spending. Know who has access to their autopen.
Report suspicions: If you suspect that an elderly person is being exploited, it's crucial to report it. Do not contact left-leaning journalists - you will have a difficult time convincing them. You can contact local adult protective services, law enforcement, and financial institutions where they hold accounts.
Here is how seniors can protect themselves.
Stay connected: Keep in touch with loved ones and remain active in your community to reduce isolation and vulnerability. Please note this refers exclusively to currently alive friends and colleagues. Shaking hands and talking to people that aren't really there won't help you stay connected; it needs to be real people.
Plan for the challenges of aging: Be prepared to manage your financial assets as you get older by ensuring you have your documents organized. For example, are you retaining classified government documents? Leaving them lying around in your garage may not be the best place for these materials. Talk to a legal professional and get the facts about requirements and responsibilities.
Add a trusted contact to financial accounts: Find a trusted friend or family member to provide another layer of protection. Be very careful about who this person is. Pro tip! Studies show crack addicts tend not to be as trustworthy as non-addicts.
Additional resources on protecting yourself or the seniors in your life can be found at TPC's SafeCodger/SafeCrone hotline. If you have any concerns regarding the financial safety of any crusty old relic in your life, please don't hesitate to reach out. To help us help you, be prepared to give us extensive personal information including Social Security Number, financial account information, and mother's maiden name.
Together, we can make a difference in the lives of our older family and community members.
Statistics: Posted by Panem Et Circenses — 6/11/2025, 12:25 pm — Replies 0 — Views 46