State regulators, social service workers and several medical organizations are teaming up to help health care providers identify and protect older patients who are vulnerable to financial abuse and scams.
"Our goal is to improve the communication among medical professionals, older Americans, (their) adult children and state securities regulators in order to head off financial swindles before the damage is done," said Don Blandin, president of the Investor Protection Trust, one of the groups behind the new campaign.
The effort to curb the financial exploitation of seniors was announced on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. It comes as a new survey by the trust shows that one in five Americans over age 65 - more than 7.3 million people - reported being victimized in a financial swindle at some point in their life.
In fact, the survey of more than 2,000 adults found that half of older Americans were ripe for potential financial victimization. For example, of 590 respondents age 65 and older, 37 percent reported being solicited by phone for money, while 16 percent said they weren't confident making big financial decisions by themselves.
Elder financial abuse can assume many forms, including telemarketing or mail fraud, contracting and repair scams, or bad advice from financial services professionals such as insurance salesmen and accountants. It can also include identity theft, abuse of guardianship or even Medicare fraud.
Full Article and Source:
Medical Professionals Will Try to Spot Elderly Fraud Victims
Oh boy... Seniors in and around Florida beware. You are ripe for the pickin and these folks know it!
ReplyDeleteMy mother, a PA resident and domicile was being taken advantage of financially when a sibling took her to FL... I called Florida Abuse Hotline, spoke with David Hartzell & faxed numerous documents. Mr. Hartzell assured me a "complete investigation would be done." I had no reason not to believe him. My sibling was sent home to PA promptly but, Florida kept my mother. Why??? I presume to exploit her... That is what is being done currently with the State of Florida's permission.
In fact my mother was prescribed unnecessary & dangerous unapproved anti-psychotic drugs by DR. Thomas Ownby of New Smyrna Beach just because Jetta Getty, a non-medical, officer of the Florida Court, asked him to drug her. Want proof? Contact me at hlpeffer@yahoo.com
No, no, no --- a doctor's job is to doctor, not to go getting his/her nose in the elderly's financial business.
ReplyDeleteright on, holly
ReplyDelete