Category: February – March 2015

  • Upgrade Your Roof This Spring

    As seniors consider upgrading their roofs in the spring, they are reminded to select a company who will recommend the ideal roofing application to best protect their dwelling for generations to come. While they may be uncertain at first when choosing between different roofing materials available, one recommendation is PABCO Roofing Products. PABCO makes shingles suited for sloped roofs of 2/12 (roughly 9.5 degrees) or more, including the entry-level laminate Premier shingle. This particular variety is the “heaviest” in its class at 260 pounds, a weight that translates into an ideal defense against Hawai‘i’s steady trade winds.

    Most PABCO shingles feature a 3M Scotchgard Algae Prevention System, which offers a 20-year warranty against algae — an unsurpassed guarantee within the market. PABCO’s Radiance shingles feature solar reflective properties and have proven popular in Hawai‘i’s tropical climate, as they keep homes cooler by reflecting heat back into the atmosphere. Radiance shingles also help homeowners save on energy costs as less power is required to cool structures over time.

    Hawai‘i seniors are encouraged to learn more about the various roofing products on the market, including everything from three-tab to super heavyweight shingles available in assorted colors and corresponding applications. They will have peace of mind when choosing a roofer who does the work right, using the highest quality products and materials.

     

    Murakami Roofing, LLC
    45-558 C-18 Kamehameha Hwy., Kaneohe 96744
    808-348-8270 | murakamiroofing@gmail.com
    www.murakamiroofing.com

    As seniors consider upgrading their roofs in the spring, they are reminded to select a company who will recommend the ideal roofing application to best protect their dwelling for generations to come. While they may be uncertain at first when choosing between different roofing materials available, one recommendation is PABCO Roofing Products. PABCO makes shingles…

  • Cons Prey on Good Intentions

    For hours, Elaine (not her real name), age 69, sat on the lanai of her Pearl City townhouse waiting. She was told that at any moment, the governor was going to arrive and present her with a new car and a check for $2 million. During this time, her adult son was yelling because he just found out that over the past year, she wired over $40,000 to the “International Lottery Commission” to pay the fees and taxes on her lottery winnings. He was so upset, in fact, that neighbors called the police, fearing for the safety of the mother. When they arrived, he calmed down enough to ask her why she even wanted a car because she didn’t even drive. Her response was, “I wanted to get you something nice, for being such a good son.”

    There have been numerous studies trying to explain why seniors fall victim to so many financial scams. Some theorize that as the brain ages, it becomes more susceptible to these cons. In essence, stating that a form of mild incompetency is a natural stage of growing older. This belief, in my opinion, is ageist, and does not explain the great many elders who lead productive and successful lives, well after their retirement age.

    No, the vast majority of victims I have encountered were individuals of sound mind, with no defect in their cognitive thinking that led them to believe in something that was too good to be true.

    In my experience, it is their desire to continue the role started decades ago, namely, being a provider. Many victims of financial abuse are either parents or grandparents, or persons who lived their life supporting a spouse or sibling. They worked hard and sacrificed to provide their family with the best they could afford. As it dawns on them that they may no longer be able to accomplish this self-appointed supporting role, they become desperate. Desperation leads them to want to believe that they are lucky enough to have won a lottery they never entered, or blessed by an invitation to participate in an investment opportunity with unbelievable returns.

    These feelings of urgency are only fueled by the tactics of conmen who talk about “leaving a legacy” or guarantee a way of providing for the family once the senior is gone. Think of a life insurance advertisement on steroids with a lot of guilt added for effect.

    How can this be prevented? Perhaps one thing a loved-one can do is communicate to the senior sincere gratitude for everything they have done for them. Explain how the senior’s hard work and encouragement provided a foundation to be successful in the their own lives. Or better yet, clearly demonstrate that they no longer need financial help from the Kupuna. It is through these actions, that the senior will know they completed their job of being a provider.

     

    To report suspected elder abuse, contact the Elder Abuse Unit at: 808-768-7536, ElderAbuse@honolulu.gov, www.ElderJusticeHonolulu.com

    For hours, Elaine (not her real name), age 69, sat on the lanai of her Pearl City townhouse waiting. She was told that at any moment, the governor was going to arrive and present her with a new car and a check for $2 million. During this time, her adult son was yelling because he…