Years of hard labor, independence, and self-sufficiency have taken their due. Caring for his wife of 71 years, and her in turn caring for him, become a little more difficult each passing year. Each bag of salt carried to his basement by a neighbor ground that fact a little deeper into his stoic demeanor. I discovered much about efforts by family members to make life more comfortable for the couple while retaining their independence. But he still thought about tempting fate and lugging the bags down the slush covered stairwell. It was a simple task I took for granted as we moved the salt for him. I recall hearing him speak of the 100 pound bags of potatoes he carried on the farm growing up. This is only one person in your community.
Take a moment and think of the people in your lives or neighbors living around you. More than ever before, there are people who could use your help, support, and social interaction. We have a unique opportunity during this season to reach out and make contact with someone who, if you take the time, can tell you so much about the person you truly are. They can also tell you extraordinary things about their lives and times.
One unpleasant fact that sticks glaringly out at me during this time of year is crimes against senior citizens. Fraud is especially prominent with our seniors. I went to the FBI website to pull statistics from an article entitled “Fraud Against Seniors.”
- Senior citizens are most likely to have a “nest egg,” to own their home, and/or to have excellent credit—all of which make them attractive to con artists.
- People who grew up in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s were generally raised to be polite and trusting. Con artists exploit these traits, knowing that it is difficult or impossible for these individuals to say “no” or just hang up the telephone.
- Older Americans are less likely to report fraud because they don’t know who to report it to, are too ashamed at having been scammed, or don’t know they have been scammed. Elderly victims may not report crimes, for example, because they are concerned that relatives may think the victims no longer have the mental capacity to take care of their own financial affairs.
Thieves prey upon senior citizens and one of the most common ways is through telemarketing. The FBI lists warning signs of telemarketing fraud. Here’s what a caller may tell you:
- “You must act ‘now’ or the offer won’t be good.”
- “You’ve won a ‘free’ gift, vacation, or prize.” But you have to pay for “postage and handling” or other charges.
- “You must send money, give a credit card or bank account number, or have a check picked up by courier.” You may hear this before you have had a chance to consider the offer carefully.
- “You don’t need to check out the company with anyone.” The callers say you do not need to speak to anyone, including your family, lawyer, accountant, local Better Business Bureau, or consumer protection agency.
- “You don’t need any written information about the company or their references.”
- “You can’t afford to miss this ‘high-profit, no-risk’ offer.” If you receive a call like this, just say “no, thank you” and hang up the phone.
For help handling issues that target seniors, you can reach out to services like Legal Services of South Central Michigan and Sixty Plus, Inc. Elder Law Clinic.
There is no better time to step forward. Start now by reaching out. You will understand a little better about what simple, relatively quick things you can do to make a senior’s life a bit easier today.
Please do not hesitate to contact any Delhi Division Sheriff ’s Office deputy with questions or concerns. 2045 North Cedar Street in Holt, 517.695.0045