The aging brain

This is a real problem. I’m fascinated with this new twist of the aged holding the lender/investor responsible for protecting them. I deal with low income seniors in money management every day, and I’m a registered guardian case manager. The fact of the matter is the brain, like every other organ in the body, ages and changes over time. The executive function in the frontal lobe area is usually the first part of the brain to show change & indicate dementia or Alzheimer’s. I have worked with seniors of extremely high I.Q., so when their executive function begins to fail (doing things with money they would never have done 10 years ago), their vocabulary and general knowledge can still carry them far in a conversation, so most people (including some judges) don’t think there is a problem. But when they lose $500k and have no money left, it becomes a taxpayer problem…we are the ones paying for their long term care. Please follow the link to a great article on this subject in the Dallas Morning News. At some point as a society, we will have to step in on a case by case basis and save them from themselves.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/090809dnmetseniorscams.1193845.html

Elizabeth Hart
Money Management & Guardianship Case Manager
The Senior Source, Dallas, TX

elizabeth hart | 1 year, 5 months ago
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Responsibility vis-a-vis age

Age in and of itself is no excuse for evading responsibility. However, who has not seen an older person who has not developed some sort of eccentricity, developed a temporal lobe malfunction or who, as did Winston Churchill, simply become senile? It is irresponsible to take advantage of them, but it is also irresponsible to fail to properly vet any elderly person attempting to form a contract (especially a contract of adhesion) or enter into a financial venture. If I were elderly (I’m 64 now) I would not want to walk into a financial services company and trust anyone. That would be just plain dumb!

Charles V Scott | 1 year, 4 months ago
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I am old

I am considered elderly (age 65). I am well aware that I could develop health problems—including those affecting cognition.

As my husband became less interested in financial survival (not that he is irresponsible, just not much concerned with it), I asked our two adult daughters to become involved.

They do not “hover over my checkbook” or conduct inquisitions, but information about major developments is shared. They know where my papers are, and have keys to the safe deposit box. One has Power of Attorney and the younger is alternate. This helps me because, as I learned in a career, one must have continuity. It helps them because they will have full access to details without painful transition.

Co-operation across the generations can help in many situations.

Cecily | 1 year, 4 months ago
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Beware elder upon elder abuse

I am so happy to have found this blog site. I will be contacting many of the experts here. I just saved my sweet 83 year mother from an extremely dangerous situation. Was it from a young person? No. Was it from a nursing home or caregiver? No.

Her companion (he is 87 years old now) was slowly killing her. I have known about his mean ways for a few years, but when I would ask my mom how she was she would say she is fine and doesn’t want to leave his house. This guy would not allow me (or my brother) to see my mother. Fit for a movie, the last time my brother went to his house to bring mail to my mother, this guy snatched my mother’s cane away from her and threatened to beat her if she continued to speak with my brother. He then went into the house to get a gun! My brother grabbed my mom to keep her from falling down to the ground, and then his gardener pushed my brother on the ground and caused him injuries. My brother left and went to the police station and told them what happened. He stayed at the station, and the police went to talk to the older man and he concocted a story that my brother was beating my mother and that my brother was gay (he is not – but doesn’t matter anyway). My mother was threatened by her companion and could not say anything… so my brother was put in jail and almost died there because he is insulin dependent and did not get the correct insulin for 2 days. This guy brainwashed my mother against her own children. He called the cops on me saying I was going to kidnap my mother and I was called by the cops! He did not take her to the doctor (he could not find his keys when she had to go); she was not getting her diabetic medications! This man stole her money – as a matter of fact, he kept getting my mom to change banks every month to cover his steps. The last straw was when he stole my mother’s Rolex watch. He also stole family heirlooms – my father was a Holocaust survivor and the things he had are gone – this guy gave them to his daughter.

As soon as my mother left this monster’s house, I flew to Texas to rescue her. Interestingly, I told my mom I was coming to rescue her the day before and she said she did not need to be rescued! That is how brainwashed she became! When I saw her (It had been 1 1/2 years since I had seen her), she looked like a homeless person: not bathed, swollen legs, pitting edema; her hair had about 3 months of gray (she was always so well groomed) and, she could hardly walk. I got her cleaned up, seen by a physician, moved to a safe place, hair done, bought her furniture, a walker with a seat attached and now my cousin is Power of Attorney to handle everything. This jerk had talked my mother into writing him a check for $25,000.00 (“to pay him back”) in April 2008. He went to the bank and bought his daughter a Certificate of Deposit! He had gotten his name on my mom’s new Volvo (on title). We got that off. My mother was taken for probably in excess of $200,000 – her nest egg.

We don’t hear about this. I have been screaming about this for years and NO one would help me!!! Attorneys told me that so long as she says she wants to be there, there is nothing I can do about it. Adult Protective Services in Houston were not helpful. I called the Jewish Family Services… nada. One attorney was a bible-thumper and told me that since “she was shacking up with someone there is no protection.” Thank goodness she was not married to him – she would have nothing.

My mother is slowly progressing. Her health is slowly coming back. She is so happy to be away from the abuse. I still want to go after the abuser to recover stolen property and money. His daughter was no better – she has stolen property.

If anyone wants to join me on my crusade, please let me know. I am dedicating myself to this cause which is not talked about much. My family did not believe me at first, but then saw firsthand what I was saying and now they get it. I feel the need to get this out- maybe high exposure television and ideally go to the legislative and executive branch of government to prevent this from happening to other elders. We have to be able to intervene as soon as we notice our parents and/or loved ones declining under the thumb of another elder. I ask my mom – what happened to you? Why did you not listen to your own daughter- who has been your closest person your entire life? She claims she must have been out of her mind – brainwashed. If anyone knows who I can call to pursue my goals, please contact me. I do plan to get to Obama’s office and maybe create a law named after my mother.

Bless you all.

Ruthie

Ruthie Danz | 1 year, 2 months ago
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old

It’s a great thing to get old and have a loving family to help you when you need help…no one should take anything away from the old..

Anonymous | 1 year, 2 months ago
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protection

I have worked in the Health care field (senior citizen) for the last 23 plus years.

A lot of time in Health care is spend protecting the elderly.

That protection is needed in many areas and from many different influences in their lives.
Protection from harm or injury if they are unable to do so for themselves. Protection from psychosocial issues that they are unaware of.
Protect them from outside sources, and let it be known, the sources are not always strangers. Family members often take advantage of the elderly some do it out of love and concern and want what is best for their parents. Then there are the family members that use the word love but it is really making life easier for them or it is just greed.


There are family members unable to help out because of circumstances. Other family members are unable to assist because they can’t bear to watch the person that gave them life and support failing. It doesn’t mean they don’t care they are suffering from an overwhelming lose and can’t cope with it. In that case you need to support both the elder and the adult child.

Frequently it all falls to one family member to cope with the many issues of aging parents. If there is someone in your life going through such a crisis support them don’t judge their behavior. Offer assistance this is one of the most difficult things you have to do in life.

Getting older is not for the weak

Anonymous | 1 year, 1 month ago
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occupational therapist

I am an OT for a home care company and before the home company job I worked in a nursing home.

I have been amazed at the amount of neglect that I see, and the lack of caring professionals as well as family to deal with these issues. I have spent sleepless nights worrying about my patients, and reported neglect that has been ignored. I would like our system in Massachusetts to change, because I feel that people are not made to take responsibility for their actions until it is too late.

Unfortunately many of these elderly people die or develop worse conditions for the neglect, that could easily be avoided. We have lost our humanity, and our spirits to do what is right. We need legislation and policy as well as better elder service protection.

kim trabucco | 1 year ago
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