Financial abuse of seniors oftentimes goes unreported. Studies have estimated that as few as 1 in 30 cases are brought to the attention of authorities. There are many reasons why these matters don’t get reported.
The two main reasons for none reporting are:
the abuser is a family member and the victim doesn’t want to get them in trouble
the victim is too embarrassed about being taken advantaged of that they would rather no one know about it than to be humiliated
The first reason, although misguided, is understandable, but second reason, however, is not.
To be direct and word this in no uncertain terms, victims of financial abuse should not feel embarrassed about being tricked out of their money. Today’s criminals who target seniors are smart criminals with hundreds of hours of experience and sophisticated tools that can convince even professionals that they are legitimate in their business dealings.
Encountering today’s scam artist is very similar to seeing a professional magician perform. He has spent countless hours practicing his act, invested in resources and props, and achieved a certain level of competence that earned him his own show. When the audience leaves the performance, they are often left wondering how the tricks were accomplished. They are not, however, embarrassed that they could not figure out how a particular illusion was accomplished. The same should be said about victims of today’s scams.
An example of the skill level of these criminals is seen in a rash of sweepstakes/lottery scams occurring in the Islands today. Potential victims are sent a personalized message (mail, email or telephone) telling them of their good fortune at winning a prize. How did the criminal get this contact information? They spent money getting it. Just like the magician going into a magic shop to buy a deck of marked cards or a collapsible wand, the scam artist can purchase personal information from various sources including people who steal mail; telemarketers who compile information from people who fill out contest entry forms; or computer programs designed to hack email accounts or link addresses to names.
Gone are the misspelled, poorly written emails and letters. These scam artists have learned from past mistakes and perfected their trade. Today’s personalized lottery winning letters are well-written and look legitimate. Some include pre-printed checks that will initially fool even a bank teller into giving a sum of money that is suppose to be sent to the scam artist to pay for “taxes and fees” on the prize money. Other letters include a credit card that the victim is told has the lottery winnings on it and it just needs to be activated with a payment.
So professionally done are these notifications, that some banking personnel, financial planners, lawyers and judges have been fooled by these scams.
In short, if you have been scammed, do not feel embarrassed. You were taken by a professional. Report the crime so that there is a chance these criminal magicians will disappear. All reports are confidential.
To report suspected elder abuse, contact the Elder Abuse Unit at: 808-768-7536.
ElderAbuse@honolulu.gov
www.ElderJusticeHonolulu.com.
portive services to the elderly, disabled persons and family caregivers to ensure their well-being, independence and dignity in an environment of their choice. Support comes through a corps of trained volunteers from a coalition of churches/temples and community organizations that demonstrate the universal principle of DANA, a Sanskrit word that means “selfless giving without the desire for recognition or reward.”
Volunteer project coordinator Cyndi Osajima is one of the staff members who works out of the “office.” She has been with Project Dana since 1993 and considers this her dream job. “I am honored and consider it a privilege to be with Project Dana, working with the devoted staff, site leaders and volunteers. I learn so much from the elderly as they share their life experiences” she says.
ear ago that Marion Iwane, 88, read a story in Generations Magazine about a senior in her 90s who started exercising at age 77. Inspired by the story, Marion decided to come in for help with balance, weakness and pain in her hips and shoulders. One month into the program, Marion suffered a mild stroke. After a brief stay in the hospital, she was sent to a nursing rehabilitation facility. Two months later, Marion’s daughter brought her back in to see me. Seeing her with a walker and weak on the left side of her body due to the stroke, I knew we had some work to do. I had successfully worked with another client who suffered a much stronger stroke, so I had high hopes for Marion’s recovery.
Marion has come in twice a week for the last 10 months. We started with moving the joints and light stretching, working our way up to strength and flexibility exercises. While training the right and then the left side of the body, it was important that she not lead with her dominant side. When she accomplishes one task we move on to a new one, continually stimulating her brain and connecting the mind to the movement. In the beginning there were times when she wanted to stop coming. Thanks to her daughter who encouraged her to continue, her attitude toward exercise has changed. One day she said to me, “I want to be strong like you.” Wow, that made my day!
In addition to exercise, Marion and I have worked on infusing her diet with healthy nutrients through green smoothies. Getting enough fruits and vegetables into our diets is important for good health and longevity. We also need healthy fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats from avocados, raw nuts, fatty fish, etc.) to maintain brain function and help with cellular communication. We add flaxseed and coconut oil into our smoothies as an easy way to ensure we get our good fats.
2014 Walk to Cure Arthritis — Hawaii
More than ever, we have to take charge of our own health, including doing what we can to avoid health problems, such as preventing falls. According to the Centers for Disease Control, falls are the leading cause of accidental fatal and non-fatal injuries among Hawai‘i’s older adults. Every five hours a kupuna is injured so severely in a fall that he/she must be treated in a hospital.
A growing portion of my practice involves fixing estate plans prepared over the Internet. The problem with computer-driven estate plans is that in the real world, more often than not, they don’t work. An effective estate plan involves far more than a set of documents, even very well drawn documents that would stand up in any court in the land. For one thing, wouldn’t it be better to have an estate plan that will help you and your family stay out of court altogether? Going to court is not the end of the world, but it can be a royal pain. Most lawyers and judges are good, decent people. But does that mean that your estate plan should provide them with profitable employment? A much better approach is getting your plan right the first time, and then making sure that it continues to work according to your wishes in light of changes in your health, your stuff, the law, and the list of people you trust. If you can accomplish these things without court supervision, you will have reached estate planning nirvana.
One in seven adults in Hawai‘i has kidney disease. An additional one in three people are at risk for getting it, and most don’t know it. Kidney disease can be found and treated early to prevent more serious kidney disease and other complications. Three simple tests can help.