Monthly Archives: January 2017

Challenging Aging Life Care Needs

January 31, 2017Aging Life Care Professionals, Aging Parents, Long-Term Careassisted living, nursing home Callie Daters

The long-term care journey is confusing. As a spouse, family member, or concerned neighbor of an aging loved one you may feel overwhelmed by the role of caregiver or decision-maker. And if you were placed in this role as a result of an emergency health crisis or due to an Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis, the questions and decisions grow more complicated.

Often we are “too close” to a situation or problem to see clearly. In this video, Aging Life Care Professional™ Amy O’Rourke illustrates how a holistic approach and assessment found the simple answer to a complicated elder care situation. Having a professional, third-party assessment not only resolved housing needs but also revealed possible unnecessary medical treatment.

Finding Answers to Difficult Elder Care Needs

Working with families, the expertise of Aging Life Care Professionals provides the answers at a time of uncertainty. Their guidance leads families to the actions and decisions that ensure quality care and an optimal life for those they love, thus reducing worry, stress and time off of work for family caregivers through:

Assessment and monitoring
Planning and problem-solving
Education and advocacy
Family caregiver coaching

To find an Aging Life Care Professional to help you find the answers to complicated questions, visit aginglifecare.org.

This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute, nor is it intended to be a substitute for, professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Information on this blog does not necessarily reflect official positions of the Aging Life Care Association™ and is provided “as is” without warranty. Always consult with a qualified professional with any particular questions you may have regarding your or a family member’s needs.

Protect Aging Parents from Tax Scams

January 26, 2017Aging Life Care Professionals, Aging Parents, Elder Abuse, Financialelder abuse, fraud, IRS, tax scams Callie Daters

Being caught in tax scams can happen to anyone even though most of us think we’re too smart to get fleeced. Unfortunately, even the most cautious person can get ripped-off. When older adults are defrauded, the effects can be devastating. With tax season officially underway, here’s what you need to know to protect aging parents from tax scams.

Your Aging Parents are at Risk of Fraud during Tax Season: What you can do about it!

by Jullie Gray, MSW, LICSW, CMC – Aging Life Care Association™ Member and Fellow of the Leadership Academy

One insidious fraud making the rounds during tax season involves IRS impersonators. Swindlers claiming to be from the IRS tell intended victims they owe taxes and must pay using a pre-paid debit card, money order or a wire transfer. They threaten those who refuse to pay with a grand jury indictment, immediate arrest, deportation or loss of a business or driver’s license.

The Treasury Inspector General, J. Russell George warns, “As the tax filing season begins, it is critical that all taxpayers continue to be wary of unsolicited telephone calls and e-mails from individuals claiming to be IRS and Treasury employees”. He described the imposters as, “aggressive and relentless.” The TIGTA created this flyer to warn taxpayers against impersonation scams.

Aging makes us more vulnerable to being cheated

Researchers have shown that older people are especially vulnerable to being cheated. According to a study by Shelley E. Taylor, a professor of psychology at UCLA, changes in our brains as we age cause us to miss common cues that someone is untrustworthy.^[1] In another study, Larry Jacoby, professor of psychology at Washington University in St. Louis, found that older adults are far more likely than the younger adults to believe and “falsely remember” misinformation as correct thus leaving them more vulnerable to getting scammed.^[2]

Despite the fact that older people are at high risk of being swindled, the FBI notes they are less likely to report being defrauded than younger people because they:

Don’t know who to report it to
Are too ashamed at having been scammed
May not know they have been conned
Are concerned about losing their independence if someone finds out

What you need to know about the IRS process

If there is a problem with a person’s taxes, the IRS issues notices by mail – not by phone. The IRS will never ask for payment by phone using a prepaid debit card, money order or wire transfer. Nor will they ask for a credit card number over the phone, request personal or financial information by e-mail, text, or any social media.

Don’t become a victim

Even the most cautious person can get ripped-off so remain vigilant, regardless of your age. Protect yourself and your parents by learning common tactics used by tax scam artists. Talk to your parents about the tricks and remind them that thieves often call or contact their victim several times to evaluate their memory and openness to their ploy. The bad guys are looking for weakness and an opportunity to strike.

You can spot IRS imposters because they will:

Utilize an automated robocall machine
Use common names and fake IRS badge numbers
May know the last four digits of the victim’s social security number
Make caller ID information appear as if the IRS is calling
Aggressively demand immediate payment to avoid being criminally charged or arrested
Claim that hanging up the telephone will cause the immediate issuance of an arrest warrant for unpaid taxes
Send bogus IRS e-mails to support their scam
Call a second or third time claiming to be the police or department of motor vehicles, and the caller ID again supports their claim

If you or your parents are contacted by someone claiming to be from the IRS:

Hang up immediately
Forward scam e-mails to phishing@irs.gov
Do not open any attachments or click on any links in those e-mails
If you owe Federal taxes, or think you might owe taxes, call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS workers can help you with your payment questions.
If you do not owe taxes, fill out the “IRS Impersonation scam” form on the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration’s (TIGTA) website, www.tigta.gov, or call TIGTA at 800-366-4484.
You can also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.FTC.gov. Add “IRS Telephone Scam” to the comments in your complaint.

The cost of being scammed is enormous for aging adults

Financial exploitation of any kind takes a heavy toll on vulnerable adults. Unlike younger people, older retired victims are not usually able to earn money to replace their losses. Seniors who are defrauded out of significant resources could risk losing their homes and may not be able to afford to buy medications or food. As a result, chronic medical conditions can become exacerbated and may lead to hospitalization from the stress of being victimized. Some victims experience severe depression and premature death; others have to apply for state assistance programs to survive after being fleeced. All of these factors highlight the need to report scams and financial exploitation to the authorities so they can investigate and arrest perpetrators. Reports of tax scams also result in greater media attention and consumer education.

Aging Life Care Professionals™ – A powerful tool to combat fraud

If your parent is isolated, frail, cognitively impaired, or lives far away from you, hiring an Aging Life Care Professional may be one of the most powerful protection tools available. These professionals can deter abuse and exploitation through ongoing oversight. They will report abuse and exploitation if it occurs, make follow up calls, advocate on behalf of the older person, and make sure the victim gets emotional support as they go through the legal process. To find your own Aging Life Care Professional go to aginglifecare.org.

About the author: A Fellow of the ALCA Leadership Academy, Jullie Gray has over 30 years of experience in healthcare and aging. She is a Principal at Aging Wisdom in Seattle, WA. Jullie is the President of the National Academy of Certified Care Managers and the Past President of the Aging Life Care Association. Jullie Serves on the King County Elder Abuse Council in Washington State. Follow her on LinkedIn and Twitter @agingwisdom, or email her at jgray@agingwisdom.com. Aging Wisdom has a presence on Facebook – we invite you to like our page.

Caregiving Solutions

January 17, 2017Uncategorized Callie Daters

An Aging Life Care Professional™ shares how his creative solutions helped a daughter honor her mother’s wishes by keeping her father living safely at home. Finding caregiving solutions for your specific situation is what Aging Life Care Professionals do best.

Finding the Right Caregiver Makes a Big Difference

Caring for an aging loved one can be a stressful, emotional roller-coaster. Add to that the responsibility of honoring your dying mother’s wishes that your father not be placed in a living facility, and you may find yourself pulling out your hair.

That’s how Sally felt when she finally met Aging Life Care Professional™ Steven Barlam via her Elder Law Attorney. Here Steve shares how his creative solutions to finding Sally’s father a caregiver made all the difference in keeping her father living safely at home.

HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU NEED AN AGING LIFE CARE PROFESSIONAL?

When caregiving for an aging family member becomes overwhelming, it may be time to contact an Aging Life Care Professional.

You may need an Aging Life Care Professional if the person you are caring for:

has multiple medical or psychological issues
is unable to live safely in their current environment
is not pleased with current care providers and requires advocacy
is confused about their own financial and/or legal situation
has limited or no family support

Or if your family:

has just become involved with helping the individual and needs direction about available services
is either “burned out” or confused about care solutions
has limited time and/or expertise in dealing with the individual’s chronic care needs and does not live close by
is at odds regarding care decisions
needs education and/or direction in dealing with behaviors associated with dementia

If you are looking for an Aging Life Care Professional in your area, aginglifecare.org includes a searchable directory of our members. These experts can do for you what Steve did for Sally and her father.

About the author: Steven Barlam, MSW, LCSW, CMC is an Aging Life Care Professional and Fellow of the Leadership Academy. Barlam is the Executive Vice President of Care Coordination and Co-Founder of LivHOME – provider of in-home care solutions.

Only Child Caring for Aging Parents

January 10, 2017Aging Life Care Professionals, Aging Parents, Caregivingaging parents, only child Callie Daters

Speaking as a third generation, only daughter and experienced Aging Life Care Professional™, I have many thoughts on an only child caring for aging parents. Perhaps being an only child propelled me to a career in Aging Life Care™ management.

I’m an Only Child. How do I Care for My Aging Parents?

by Suzanne Modigliani, LICSW, CMC — Aging Life Care Association™ Member and Fellow of the Leadership Academy

As a social worker with significant experience in geriatric mental health, home care, and nursing home consultation, I experienced the spectacular crash of my own parents. I knew just what to do, based on my professional experience, but emotionally it was so overwhelming. I know there are so many people just like me but don’t know where to turn or find support.

I was fortunate to live in the same metropolitan area as my parents. My mother suffered from many chronic physical illnesses and my father had dementia, though denied by mother. When my mother broke her hip and was sent to a local hospital, she sent my father home with a note, “Bring nightgown. Call Suzie.”

My father spent the next day calling Boston area hospitals looking for my mother. He finally landed in the social work office of a hospital where she was not a patient. Fortunately, a clever social worker located me. I picked him up and thus began the crisis phase of being an only child. My father could not be alone and my mother could not return to their home with stairs.

If you are an only child, you may have known many positives, specifically all that attention. And you know the negatives — all that attention. Now, you may be the only person paying attention to your parents as they age.

Hopefully, you’ve planned ahead and you are designated as health care proxy and Power of Attorney for each of your parents, or at least backup as they may wish to designate each other. This makes navigating the road ahead much easier.

One positive of being an only child is you may end up being the sole decision maker in many challenging situations. For instance, when I was complaining about breaking up my parents’ home of more than fifty years, my mother said, “You are lucky. If you had a sister you would be fighting over the china.”

Of course, most decisions are more difficult than what to do with the china. They run the gamut from arranging care at home to considerations of alternate care settings to complex medical decisions to financial planning. You may have extended family who can help, but things will always come back to you. You need to arrange support for yourself. That may be asking your spouse to take on extra tasks at home or arranging additional childcare.

Perhaps the best decision of all would be to hire an Aging Life Care Professional™. Whether you are a long-distance caregiver or busy with tasks closer to home, there is great value in having a knowledgeable adviser. Aging Life Care Professionals have encountered many situations like yours – from the simple to the extremely complicated. S/he will know the local resources and options, as well as have a good sense of what to look out for down the road. Aging Life Care Professionals are particularly important to only children as they are excellent sounding boards, voices of reason, and emotional support.

You can locate an Aging Life Care Professional near you by visiting the Find an Aging Life Care Expert search page.

About the author: Suzanne Modigliani, LICSW, CMC is an Aging Life Care Specialist™ in Brookline, MA who works with families to find solutions to complicated elder care problems. She has been a leader in the Aging Life Care Association and quoted extensively in the media as seen on her website modiglianigeriatrics.com.