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Present Dangers #1 | Nikki Buckelew and Shelby Gartner | Unmasking the Shadows: Understanding Elder Fraud

 

 

Thousands of scams and frauds occur everyday. Their primary victims are our aging loved ones. Present Dangers goal is to help shed light on all of the latest scams, and help arm you to with knowledge, so when the scammers come, you will be prepared. The hosts for Present Dangers are Tony Sieber, Founder and CEO of Parent Projects, and Joyce Petroski, President and Founder of R.O.S.E, Resources/Outreach to Safeguard the Elderly.

 

Looking for information? Parent Projects takes the stress and intimidation out of the process for families relocating an aged loved one using our educational and self-help downsizing guides found at www.ParentProjects.com. Through our “Verified” Business Network, advocates can access the pre-screened professional services they need on their terms with the financial and personal safety peace-of-mind their families deserve.

Please subscribe to the podcast at:
Castos: https://parent-projects.castos.com
iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast
Spotify: Parent Projects

Join us on your favorite social media platform as @ParentProjects
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Chapters
00:00 – Intro

01:14 – Here are your Hosts

02:07 – ROSE’s Goals

03:24 – State of Fraud Today

07:12 – Isolation

11:57 – Nikki Buckelew I SREI

23:29 – Practical steps to take against fraud

27:56 – Shelby Gartner I Transunion

40:38 – Transunion Ad

42:39 – Response while being scammed

48:35 – Wrap Up

50:13 – Outro

 

 

5 Tips for Combating Caregiver Isolation

 

 

Caregiving for a senior loved one can be rewarding role. Providing daily assistance to someone who took care of you as a child can give you an opportunity to reconnect and build memories. The downside is it can also be lonely, especially if the older adult can’t be left alone or has mobility challenges that make it tough for them to leave the house. Family caregivers often end up isolated and alone. Many times, they don’t even realize it is happening. Withdrawal from friends and social activities happens gradually.

Why Do Caregivers Become Isolated?

Adult children or spouses may believe no one can care for their loved one as well as they do. Some caregivers are simply unaware of local resources that provide backup support and relief.

Recognizing the problem is the first step toward solving it. Overcome or avoid caregiver isolation with these helpful tips.

Maintain Relationships.

In addition to physical presence, humans need relationships that provide mutual value and trust. Studies show that spending time with loved ones regularly can lead to a longer, healthier life.

Invite friends over for a game night, start a book club, or grab dinner. Scheduling time to call or meet with friends regularly helps maintain friendships and builds a stronger support network.

Join a Support Group.

Connecting with supportive people can make you feel less alone. Expressing what you’re going through can be very cathartic. Support groups also provide a place to vent your frustrations.

Many healthcare plans offer support groups for caregivers. However, if you are unable to arrange for a substitute caregiver or travel for support face-to-face, online support groups are available. 

Ask for Help.

Ask a family member or a friend to bring over a hot meal, pick up the dry cleaning, or sit in for you for a bit. If you don’t have family or friends nearby, ask your neighbors or members of your support group.

People want to help, so accept it when it is offered. If there are funds available, you could hire someone to provide in-home services. This can give you a much-needed break.

Get Out There.

Take responsibility for your isolation and feelings of loneliness and make an effort to build up your social network. Join a club, attend local events, volunteer, get involved at church, meet your neighbors, join a gym, sign up for a class, dine out with others, or invite them to dinner at your place. Pets are also wonderful companions and can provide comfort and support during times of stress, ill health, or isolation.

Get Professional Help.

If feelings of isolation are acute or you’re experiencing chronic loneliness, feelings of hopelessness, or are overcome with anxiety, it’s time for professional attention.

Call a support line or your physician for a referral to a mental health expert to work with you to find ways to make these feelings abate.

Bottom Line.

When you are struggling, it might feel impossible to find balance between caregiving and maintaining a life of your own. Maintaining relationships is of utmost importance. Even if you can’t leave the house, stay in touch with friends via social media, email, and video chat platforms. Support groups can provide invaluable knowledge, or they might just listen and provide emotional support, but at the very least, you will know that you are not alone.

 

Thank you Laura Ray at seasons.com and sunriseseniorliving.com for the original content! Subscribe to alerts for new content here.

 

 

Millennials as Caregivers: An Integral Part of the Care Community

 

 

Many individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias are receiving in-home care. What might be surprising is just how many millennials are engaged in the caregiving. An aging population, combined with the fact that dementia-related illnesses are projected to grow in prevalence, means that millennials will play an increasing role in family caregiving. This article highlights the many qualities that make millennials well-suited and effective caregivers.

They are Comfortable Using Technology.

Technology has been integral in their lives from an early age. Millennials were among the first to grow up with computers in the home, which is important in an increasingly virtual world. They can easily navigate caregiver support resources through technology, such as app-controlled home and door alarms, Uber apps to facilitate travel for appointments, or ordering items online. This technological comfort also allows millennials to provide support by doing internet research, grocery deliveries, or setting up auto bill payments to ease the challenges of caregiving.

They are Adaptable.

Millennials are old enough to remember life without smartphones, apps, social media, and the internet, so they can adapt quickly to different situations and help their elders adapt as well.

They are Emotionally Invested.

Despite the responsibilities, challenges, and nuances of caregiving, millennials were the most likely group to say caregiving was rewarding (91%), according to a February 2021 Forbes article. A study conducted by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) found that most millennials got a sense of purpose from their caregiving role. Like any caregiver, millennials have their strengths, but they also face challenges that are less common among their older contemporaries.

Less Financial Means and Weaker Support Structure.

Because they are younger (on average 30 years old) with shorter earning time, millennial caregivers have lower household incomes and more often report high levels of financial strain.
These income challenges leave millennials with a weaker support structure. They are less likely to have paid caregiving help or health insurance, and they more frequently report being in fair health.

Rising to Meet the Challenge.

Millennials are not the future caregivers in the fight against Alzheimer’s—they are on the front lines, in the trenches, right now. Fortunately, they are well equipped—they are passionate, hard-working caregivers who find great reward in their labor of love and are rising to meet the many challenges they face head-on. Like all caregivers, they need help. Strengthening their support infrastructure is vital to help make them an even stronger caregiving generation.

 

Thank you alzfdn.org for this content!

 

 

6 Ways to Help Your Aging Parents Leave a Legacy

 

 

Our lives extend as far into the future as others’ memories of us. Leaving behind a legacy is an important way for seniors to know that some part of who they were will live on after they die.

There are myriad ways to sculpt a legacy. Here are six ways you can help your loved one define and shape their own.

Help Your Loved One Update Their Will.

Updating a will might not sound thrilling, but it is the single best way to ensure the fruits of your loved one’s hard work extend into the next generation.

Your loved one can set up a trust to pay for the grandkids’ college, leave precious heirlooms to loved ones, donate possessions to charity, or even set up a foundation to benefit a special cause. If your loved one has any assets, schedule an appointment with a lawyer to create a will that honors your loved one’s values and preserves their legacy.

Find Caregivers for the Living Creatures Your Loved One Loves.

Many seniors deeply love other living creatures. Whether it is a carefully tended orchid garden or a scruffy but lovable dog, your loved one deserves to know that their hard work won’t be wasted. Talk to your loved one about what they would like you to do with these living creatures when they die. Can they begin training a grandchild on the ins and outs of orchid gardening now? Would a lonely relative love to take the dog? Simply knowing that their living companions will go to a loving home can ensure peace of mind.

Pass on Family and Cultural Traditions.

Many seniors feel frustrated that their children and grandchildren seem uninterested in their cultural and religious traditions. Particularly, if your loved one was an immigrant or a devout practitioner of a specific religion, they may worry that their traditions will die with them.

Ask them to teach you about these traditions, then spend time together practicing them. Learn how to perform an important cultural ritual, then treat these rituals with honor and dignity.

Preserve Memories.

Help your loved one preserve their memories by working with them to log the story of their life. Start by helping them write a memoir or encouraging them to start a blog for family to enjoy.

Interviewing your loved one about their life and recording the conversation is another great way to help preserve their memories.

Build a Family Memory Book.

Help your loved one remember and preserve the best moments of their life by building a family memory book. Gather some scrapbooking supplies and make a family scrapbook. Ask your loved one to write down a few stories about the images in the book. Or consider adding new memories to the book by investing in professional photography.

Spend Time Together.

Spending time with your loved one is the single most important thing you can do to build a lasting legacy of memories. It is easy to get caught up in the desire to make every moment special, capture every photo, or do as many fun activities as possible. This pressure can quickly become a source of stress that erodes the quality of the time you spend together. Do not feel obligated to do any specific activity.

Bottom Line.

Quiet time spent in nature, a quick conversation, and an enjoyable meal matter just as much as the family trip you planned or the memoir you hope to write. Many loved ones find themselves so overwhelmed by the daily tasks involved with tending to their loved one that they forget to take a deep breath and enjoy the time they have together. Build your memory bank for the future and enjoy this precious time with your loved one now.

 

Thank you Chris Harper at arborcompany.com for this content!

 

 

Emil Jimenez – Sourcing A-Players

 

Emil Jimenez is an American-born, award-winning marketing expert and Founder of Mind Bank AI. He’s been an entrepreneur since 2009, running a successful marketing agency, and in 2020, Emil set out to produce the most transformational idea of his life—a digital platform that will allow humanity to go beyond their limits and live forever through data. What started as daddy’s quest for immortality has expanded into something bigger for humanity because the next personal computer is you.

Mind Bank AI is a personal, digital-twin platform that uses a simple chat interface and structured learning algorithms to give the user valuable insights into their cognitive, biometric, and genetic states. The digital twin learns by asking many questions while giving the user valuable insights into their personality and achieving immortality through data.

Website: www.mindbank.ai

 Looking for information? Parent Projects takes the stress and intimidation out of the process for families relocating an aged loved one using our educational and self-help downsizing guides found at www.ParentProjects.com. Through our “Verified” Business Network, advocates can access the pre-screened professional services they need on their terms with the financial and personal safety peace-of-mind their families deserve.

00:00 – Intro

02:12 – Dashboard of Your Mind

11:41 – Mind Bank AI Ad

12:06 – What Makes Us, Us

15:08 – Sourcing

17:40 – Clients Info

20:31 – Humanize a Difficult Situation

21:51 – The Value of Authenticity

25:08 – Improvement Over Time

29:44 – Contact Mind Bank AI

The Essentials of a Positive Legacy

 

 

Typically, the word “legacy” can simply be thought of as an inheritance of money or property that is being passed on to someone’s children or grandchildren. When thinking about your “legacy,” focus also on shared values, worldviews, and family experiences. Devote more attention to transmitting your heritage than leaving an inheritance.

Communication is Key.

Society may lament how unprepared the next generation is for some situations, but how faithful have the older generations been at preparing them to resolve issues in a responsible way? Have the important discussion with your children about what needs to be accomplished during estate planning, but also discuss your heritage of beliefs and values. These discussions will increase the likelihood of a successful estate transition—preserving harmony within family and optimizing the long-term benefit of physical property.

A Matter of Trust.

Think of someone you trust. Would you want that person to have the courage to initiate a discussion with you about an issue, even if it might be contentious? Most likely, your trust in that person would supersede the troubling aspect of the discussion and can be a huge factor in helping navigate through typical relationship challenges. If that trust hasn’t been established, creating it now can be difficult, but it can be done. Humble yourself, admit mistakes, and ask for patience and understanding from family. Tell them your priority is to do what is best for them and commit yourself fully to that course of action. Disagreements may still occur but work through those issues with humility.

Equal Love.

Equality is impossible when it comes to the distribution of physical property, but having a mindset that demonstrates equal love goes together with a trusting relationship. Family members might all have different situations and needs. Distributions may appear unequal in superficial ways, but an equal love approach can lead to the best, most peaceful results. Equal love that is trustworthy from a parent or a grandparent says: Regardless of what happens, I will act in the best interest of each and every one of my children and grandchildren.

Bottom Line.

A trustworthy foundation allows transmission of values and a heritage that will strengthen the family. Families operating from that foundation affirm equal love, even during disagreement, and the process promotes communication and increases trust rather than separation and distrust. Grandparents, keep communicating with your children and grandchildren! You possess a narrative about your spiritual, physical, and moral legacy that your grandchildren want to know.

 

Thank you, Grant Goodvin, at grandkidsmatter.org for this content! 

 

 

How to Navigate VA Health Care Benefits

 

 

For the over 19 million Americans who served in the armed forces, accessing health care benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) can be a confusing process at times.

For all veterans, VA Health Care can be obtained through three different paths:

Path 1: Disability Status.

If a veteran has a service-connected injury or illness, they can first seek disability compensation based on their condition. The VA pays a tax-free monthly payment to veterans who were sick or injured while serving in the military and to veterans whose service made an existing condition worse. Disability payments are made for physical (such as chronic illness or injury) and mental health conditions (such as post-traumatic stress disorder) that developed before, during, or after service.

How to Qualify.

They must have served on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training and have a VA disability rating for their condition (ratings are assigned after receiving a disability exam).

Staff at the local VA medical center or local doctor’s office that is partnered with the VA will contact your loved one to schedule an exam to confirm they meet one of the qualifying disability claims.

Path 2: Service History.

Veterans can qualify for VA Health Care Benefits if they meet one of these six criteria:
• They were a former prisoner of war (POW).
• They received a Purple Heart.
• They received a Medal of Honor.
• Served in Vietnam from 1962 to 1975.
• Served in Southwest Asia/Gulf War from 1990 to 1998.
• Served at least 30 days at Camp Lejeune from 1953 to 1987.

Path 3: Income Need.

To qualify for VA Health Care based on income, veterans or their family must receive or qualify for Medicaid benefits or earn less than the VA’s specified income requirements. To learn more on these income requirements, visit: www.va.gov/healthbenefits

Tips on Obtaining VA Health Care Benefits.

First, understand what the VA can provide by getting advice from those who best know its system. That means reaching out to an accredited Veterans Service Representative. Have a copy of your loved one’s military service record, known as a DD-214. The easiest way to receive a copy is to register for an e-Benefits account or visit your local VA facility for assistance. Once the application is submitted, the VA can provide eligibility based on their criteria. For families, keep in mind that in most cases only the veteran receives health care benefits.

Bottom Line.

Eligibility for VA Health Care Benefits can change over time based on funding from Congress and the department’s priorities. If possible, enroll in both Medicare and VA Health Care to secure the best options. Reach out to your State VA Office or Veterans and Military Service Organization for help. Once the veteran is qualified for disability pay, gaining health care benefits is much simpler.

 

Thank you Aaron Kassraie at aarp.org for this content!