Protecting Those under Your Care from Scams

Unscrupulous people are, unfortunately, everywhere. They are like vultures perched on tree branches, just waiting to jump on the unsuspecting. Scam artists are increasingly targeting seniors who will not have the personal strength to defend themselves and may not even be able to cry out for help. Seniors going shopping for goods and/or services can also be susceptible. As a caregiver, it becomes your responsibility to watch out for your loved one and protect him/her from being taken advantage of. These are just a few ideas of how to do so:

• Window shop – Whether you are looking for prescriptions, clothes or adaptive equipment, it pays to shop around. Not all retailers will charge the same price for goods. Surprisingly, prices can even vary (quite dramatically) on products sold in stores from the same chain. By telephoning stores to compare prices on products/services available, you can save yourself a lot of time and unnecessary driving around.

• Screen service providers – Anybody coming into Mom/Dad’s home to help out should be checked out thoroughly, Conducting an in-depth interview is a good start, but ensure that you ask for – and follow-up with – a minimum of three professional references. When contacting these references, ask pointed questions … one of my favourites is “Would you hire this person to care for your own Mom or Dad?”. Agencies which provide healthcare staff should make certain that all staff have undergone a criminal check and are bonded.

• Know who you are buying from. Is the sales person or the company familiar to you? Avoid any door-to-door sales people or telemarketers who ask for a cash deposit up-front for a product/service. Don’t give out any personal information (either your own or your parent’s) to someone you don’t recognize. If anything sounds too good to be true, chances are good that this is the case. Any necessary home renovations (e.g. a wheelchair ramp) should be installed/constructed by a reputable contractor. Before hiring a contractor, once again, ask for references from previous jobs done. Call up the Better Business Bureau to check on a contractor’s background. Do not deal with anybody who has a service complaint made against them.