Here are a few examples of elderly acquaintances who have had their life savings drained and all possessions (legally) stolen from them.

1. Elderly woman has a bad fall and while hospitalized, the adult children convince her to "temporarily" check into a nursing home. Temporary accommodations become permanent. In the meantime, they sell her possessions, rent out her house and drain her bank accounts. This goes on for years. Finally, near the end of her life, the children convince her to check into Hospice. Once in Hospice, she forfeits many of her rights and is even more trapped. She dies alone and forgotten in the nursing home. It took the staff days to realize she was dead.

2. Elderly man hooks up with a local prostitute who promises to help him with daily chores in return for room and board. As expected, she gets access to his identity and with the help of organized crime and a shady lawyer, gets access to his accounts, possessions and property; worth about $600,000. She convinces the guy to "temporarily" check into a nursing home. Since she has all his property, she ceases all communication with him and enjoys her new lifestyle. The elderly man is penniless and a ward of the state.

3. Elderly woman loses her husband. Before the body is even cold, a charming guy about 15 years younger takes a sudden interest. After a brief courtship, they get married. Her health is failing. He sits back ready to collect about $2,000,000.

These are just a few of the ones I've seen. I'm sure there are many more.

Call me "heartless", but the more of this I see, the less empathy I have for the victims. In each and every case, the level of poor judgement is stunning.

if some one takes an interest some of these might get prosecuted under elder abuse law but in lots of cases no interest no advocates available.

 

You wont hear of the cases of elders savings out living them..because theres no case. You also wont hear of a elderly person savings outliving them and there children because it would be bragging and you would get comments of how poor other people are... so I wont.

 

These are very old scams that are unlikely to end anytime soon. Heaven forbid we're able to trust our family, who often don't deserve our trust. I can't find the link quickly, but a few years ago I read about elder abuse in Nevada that happened with the assistance of providers and the state. Basically, the providers got kickbacks for referring likely targets to advocates, who then went to court, got a rubber stamped PoA order, and showed up at the elder's residence with a sheriff's deputy. While the family was trying to fight it in court, if that even happened, the advocate was able to drain the finances. The elderly person(s) were often stuck in the most horrible facilities and downgraded as the ability to overpay declined.

People who get involved with the kinds of scammers mentioned above are often lonely and isolated. It's still terrible judgement, no doubt about it.

 

It took the staff days to realize she was dead.

How the heck is that even possible? they should all be charged with severe neglect and put behind bars...

and for all the others... I am frigging disgusted...

 

I agree. Nursing homes and hospices are supposed to be inspected. I wonder what state that was in?

At the very least, they should have had their license immediately cancelled. And criminal neglect charges filed.

 

Money drives people (some more than others) to to crazy things. I personally been through what the OP posted with an elderly father and crazy siblings taking over to get his money.

Directors of assisted living homes can tell you some crazy stories! Happens more often than you think.

 

That’s why my retirement is built off income and not savings

 

Perpetual passive income. I've got very good passive income now as I'm just entering the peak of my career. And I intend for that to be much higher by the time I retire.

 

Special place in hell for folks like that... Old Red passed away, so his corner market closed. Some guy bought it cheap and re-opened. Gave Grandma credit until the first of the month. She racked up 3k in debt, so he took their homestead. Grandpa was an honorable man, and they didn't know better, so they signed it over. Had I known it was only 3k, I'd have done whatever a 20 year old could do. That ******* died a year later, and nobody cared.

 

I hate criminals. Especially the evil bastards that prey on seniors.

Special place in hell for folks like that...

 

It took the staff days to realize she was dead.

Did they not serve meals in this nursing home? 3 chance's per day to discover the death.

 

Good question. It was a weird arrangement whereby some residents were on the meal plan and some were not. The deceased lady was NOT on the meal plan. She cooked simple meals in her room being very careful not to rack up too much expense in food costs. Very sad.

 

I've seen the spectrum. Families doing the right thing. With even distant relatives watched over and visited, needs met and their property protected.

Then I've seen 'step' relatives so ticked off that this non-blood relative is getting what they think of as theirs do everything they could to screw them.... legally of course.

 

How society treats their elderly says a lot about that society.

Are their elderly revered and looked after? or are they ripped off then shuffled off to a nursing home to be forgotten.

The cycle of life in a caring and functional family has all but been forgotten. Especially when greed, narcissism and the mentality of get ahead by any means necessary takes root.

 

How society treats their elderly says a lot about that society.

And this is where this socalled civilized western countries fail big time... why is it that in poor countries family is treated well... in rich countries family is treated like poo... unless there is money to be had? we would be so much better off if we stuck together as a family living together (cheaper, safer) no need for stoopid gubbermint daycare since gramma is home... cheaper food since it is homecooked by homegrown produce = less need to slave on for some rotten company that give zero f*cks about you... yes we wouldn't have the money for 7 large TV's... but we don't need that shiz anyways since stream tv is BS and full of propaganda... be together, watch tv together like the olden days... be a family... I just don't get why we turned into this... I feel sad about that part of the culture... we can learn so much from these "3rd world" countries... they do it so much better... and notice that poor farmers eat so much better than the SAD (Standard American Diet) people eat in the west... they are healthier, they are stronger... yes they might have a few more wrinkles but if they see you struggling on the road they are way more likely to invite you in for a meal than someone in the west (not saying it doesn't happen in the west, just that it is way more likely over there) and I also see it in southern Europe... neighbors gladly share their produce with you if they have too much of something and the whole village comes together if there is a wild fire... where we the west is just "we have enough in ourselves"...

 

Here are a few examples of elderly acquaintances who have had their life savings drained and all possessions (legally) stolen from them.


Call me "heartless", but the more of this I see, the less empathy I have for the victims. In each and every case, the level of poor judgement is stunning.

Well you shouldn't think that way. You don't know the history of these victims.
Medications and illness effects peoples judgement.
I've had some powerful treatments/drugs for quite a long time and early on it effected my judgement greatly.
I started making several financial mistakes.
Our trusted son had to step in to handle finances early on and still at our request does it.
I can take over anytime but I don't trust myself to always make good decisions.
I've been off of treatments 14 months and still have short term memory loss and some brain fog.

Now what were you saying about a prostitute?

 

They made a movie about this sort of thing, look up "I care a lot." Very satisfying ending to the movie.

 

My family of origin wasn't the healthy, bonded unit that I would trust with my person or my money. There's no such thing as a perfect solution, but historically I've been better off in the hands of strangers than I ever was with them. I'd prefer medical aid in dying at this point; going out while my marbles are still in my head and I've enjoyed the good things life has to offer. Once it's all pain and no fun, it's time to go IMO. I'd burn it before I'd allow my FOO to access the first dime.

 

Yes! I am very much the same. I am here to tell you (the old man has already heard all this and I am NOT suicidal by any stretch of the imagination) that once I get one of any of a certain list of diagnoses, I will set an already pre-determined plan in motion. And regardless of what Dylan Thomas wishes me to do, I WILL go willingly and quietly into that dark night. There ARE worse things in this world than dying.

 

As a retired person, the largest drain (theft) on my life saving is from inflation.

 

and taxation...

 

1. Elderly woman has a bad fall and while hospitalized, the adult children convince her to "temporarily" check into a nursing home. Temporary accommodations become permanent. In the meantime, they sell her possessions, rent out her house and drain her bank accounts. This goes on for years. Finally, near the end of her life, the children convince her to check into Hospice. Once in Hospice, she forfeits many of her rights and is even more trapped. She dies alone and forgotten in the nursing home. It took the staff days to realize she was dead.

How is this one viewed as a scam? I know details are missing but I've seen old-age injuries absolutely change the trajectory of someone's life. If their spouse is gone, who takes care of them? One cannot assume that children must care for their elderly parents. If said elderly person needs to go to a home and doesn't have many funds, there's no other options but to begin liquidating assets to cover their own care.

 

because you don't sell their possessions and properties and stick the money in your own pocket the money should go into THEIR bank account and go to pay for THEIR LIFE and CARE... not for some greedy thiefs new iphone or tv...

 

I posted less than an hour ago and since then spent 10 minutes of that hour talking my MIL out of getting an extended car warranty, for maybe the 12th time. She sees the commercial on TV and becomes absolutely convinced that her <30k mile car she doesn't even drive is going to break down and cost her thousands in repairs. I probably intercept 5 scam calls a day trying to get her Medicare and personal information. They are very convincing (to her) and I can imagine a lot of elderly are being successfully targeted.

 

It is so weird how older people become susceptible to stuff like that.

Side note, talk your MIL into a long-term care insurance plan. That's actually something useful.

 

My mother spent the last year of her life on a ventilator in a nursing home. State took possession of her house in the end. Although some siblings were upset with that, I viewed it as a payment for medical services.

 

My mother spent the last year of her life on a ventilator in a nursing home.

A year on a ventillator? What a nightmare.

 

There is always some kind of con making the rounds. I used to get the Amazon has frozen your account or the PayPal billing scam.

Come to find out these large companies usually have an active anti-fraud/theft component to their business and take a dim view of con artists and posers misrepresenting them.

I have turned over a number of email scams to the AG cybercrimes unit as well as the companies that were being misrepresented in the scam.

I figure if I ignore them and don't fight back it'll just get worse.

 

There is always some kind of con making the rounds. I used to get the Amazon has frozen your account or the PayPal billing scam.

Come to find out these large companies usually have an active anti-fraud/theft component to their business and take a dim view of con artists and posers misrepresenting them.

I have turned over a number of email scams to the AG cybercrimes unit as well as the companies that were being misrepresented in the scam.

I figure if I ignore them and don't fight back it'll just get worse.

As an IT support person I am appalled at the number of tech scams out there. Particularly preying on the elderly.

One of the most notorious is the "your BestBuy tech support agreement has been automatically renewed for $360/year. If you do not agree to this, please call xxx-xxx-xxxx". People call and to get the supposed "charge" reversed, and then end up giving out bank account numbers.

And I agree. These things need to be reported. As you say, if you don't fight back it just gets worse.

 

assets put into a trust years before one's mind begins to fail will protect funds from the money grabbers.

 

That's assuming there are assets to begin with.

 

Reverse mortgage. Now there is a con!

 

School me as to why? If elderly needs care and doesn't have the money, I see reverse mortgages as a very legit option. Obviously it's not ideal but it allows these people the dignity of being able to stay in or keep their home. Can't take it with you anyway!~

 

If the taxes and cost of living and prices of gas, insurance, etc., don't get under control pdq we are ALL going to be drained to nothing. Most of us can't afford to move anyplace nice now because homes start at a million bucks.

I restore jeeps as my side gig. I saw a YJ (the square headlight model) today driving by the local dealer for $17,995. That's not a collector price, it's straight up inflation and some greed. Some fool will pay it too.

 

This is terrifying for people who are facing old age alone. Doubly so for those who will be alone and disabled.

 

I agree. Neither of us have family -- at least that want to have anything to do with us -- so the last one standing as they say will be on their own. I don't worry so much about me -- I actually do better alone. The old man ... Boy I dunno. I worry for him. He is one of those people who is more afraid of being alone than he is of being miserable. I truly hope I outlive him -- simply because I know how sad and afraid and dare I say helpless he would be without me. He would definitely be a sitting target for some scammer. 😢😢😢 I would HATE that for him. Especially as an elderly person. Talk about being gutted. 😭😭😭

 

We both have family to consider with our assets. Luckily enough my bitch sister is out of the picture.(She spent years trying to get moms millions that she did not have). We are working to right some things that have been working against our grand son. I only hope that those steps that we taken will give him what is rightfully his.

 

I'm not 50 yet but I'm a widow and I am very careful. I own a home.

Some times people do need a nursing home. I think 90% of the ones there are due to a toilet issue of some sort; most family don't want to change diapers. They do have temporary placements called respite so the caregiver gets a break for a week or so. I would have done that with my husband but he had Alzheimer's and he would have been very upset.

My mom was very upset when her neighbor was "suddenly" placed in a memory care facility, her home cleared out and sold by the daughter. She was going to fight for her. But the doctor asked Mom to come visit and asked the "victim" some questions and a basic memory panel and my Mom realized she needed to be in a facility. The daughter related stories of cooking accidents, etc.

Many times people like my husband are very good at hiding their problems but he needed extensive help 24/7. If something had happened to me he would have been in a facility. Also very few would want to do what I did.

 

Little bits, when family is throwing feces, only eat one food for weeks at a time, screaming obscenities 24/7, won't "let" you sleep waking you up every hour every day and night no matter when you try to sleep you might reconsider the high horse.

 

that isn't normal either... that is an extreme... I am talking the majority here... which is always what should be discussed, not the extremes which is a tiny minority...