Last week, I ran across an elder friend who was worried about identity theft. She had no idea what it meant and was fearful that someone would take all her money.  Not having enough money to live on or living with the fear that someone will steal all their money is a common theme among older adults. Anyone who has worked in long term care has seen the 90 year old woman who sleeps with her purse!  But in today’s world, older adults’ fears are more than warranted. Often the elder is the target of crime and fraud.

The National Institute on Aging reports that “older people are less likely to be victims of crime than teenagers and young adults, the number of crimes against older people is hard to ignore. Older people are often targets for robbery, purse snatching, pick-pocketing, car theft, or home repair scams. They are more likely than younger people to face attackers who are strangers. During a crime, an older person is more likely to be seriously hurt than someone who is younger.” (www.nia.nih.gov)

So as caring friends, care providers, or adult children, what do we recommend to help?  Tell them to:
  • Keep the home safe (e.g. doors and windows locked when not home)
  • Know who is at the door before opening it 
  • Know the phone number for the local police
  • Have easy access to a phone
  • Don’t keep large quantities of money – whether on your person OR hidden at home!
  • Be cautious with your money
  • Have pension checks, social security checks sent to your bank for direct deposit
  • If you give the Power of Attorney to someone, make sure it is someone you know very well and trust
  • Don’t be afraid to hang up on telemarketers, pushy salespeople, or even someone from a charity or other organization that you haven’t heard of and are not sure whether to trust
  • Never give out personal information especially your credit card number and social security number
  • Be on guard about door-to-door salespersons

One of the newest concerns is identity theft -- Look for my next blog for resources to assist the elderly with protecting their identity.