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Guest Blog: Fraud, Scams, and Other Challenges Elders Face

Elder fraud is an enormous problem that involves massive financial loss and elder abuse. The misappropriation of finances and financial control is known as elder financial abuse or financial exploitation. Elders report losing approximately $1.17 billion each year, but the AARP estimates a more accurate number is probably closer to $40 billion.

Scams and Challenges Faced by Seniors

Elders face losing their independence, neglect and abuse, diminished physical ability, and age discrimination. Even healthy elderly individuals may fall prey to schemes at the hands of criminals or family.

Elderly individuals who require daily assistance may suffer abuse and neglect from caregivers and family members. Being left dirty and unbathed is one of the many signs of neglect that point to elderly abuse. Be on the alert for fraud and abuse perpetrated towards seniors.

What is Elderly Fraud?

Elder fraud is a scam operation that targets seniors. The scammer may be a family member or friend, or a stranger. The most common way for seniors to be targeted is over the Internet or email through phishing techniques, such as:

Internet offers or emails advertising discount prescriptions and low-cost health coverage
Internet offers that advertise financial support through home-equity loans or retirement savings
Friendships evolving through email communications, phone calls, and social media

Telemarketing Frauds and Common Schemes

An FBI sting in 1980 involving specialized AARP members led to 1200 arrests and hundreds of convictions for fraudulent telemarketers selling water purifiers, vacations, sweepstakes, and environmental packages. Telemarketing fraud is still a large concern for seniors. Other typical elderly fraud schemes include:

Romance: Criminals seek to capitalize on elderly victims who desire to find a companion using dating websites and social media.

Grandparent: Criminals contact an elderly individual claiming to be a child or grandchild and needing immediate financial assistance.

Technical support: Criminals contact the elderly individual and offer to fix nonexistent technical issues to gain access to their devices and obtain sensitive information.

Sweepstakes or lottery scams: Criminals contact the elderly victim and claim they won a lottery or sweepstakes for which they require a fee.

Government impersonation: Criminals pose as government employees and threaten to arrest or prosecute elderly individuals unless they provide payments.

Home repair: Criminals appear in person at the elderly individual’s property to offer home-improvement services that they never provide.

Family or caregivers: Relatives and acquaintances of elderly individuals may seek to take advantage of them to obtain money or property.

TV/radio: Criminals seek to target potential victims using false advertisements for services such as reverse mortgages and credit repair.

COVID-19 Elderly Scams

During the COVID-19 pandemic, elderly fraud substantially grew as elders were separated from their close family and friends to avoid the virus. Some COVID-19 scams involved selling counterfeit products like air filters, vaccines, and testing, as well as contact tracing schemes designed to trick elders out of money and gain pertinent personal information.

Multiple scams continue to target the elderly concerning COVID-19, including Social Security Administration (SSA) scams and charity requests. One study estimated that one in 10 seniors fell victim to elderly fraud in 2018, and this number increased during the pandemic as elders faced:

Similar Concerns

Seniors tend to share similar concerns, including high medication costs, a need for healthcare coverage, dwindling retirement funds and plans to provide for their loved ones. Phishing emails on these specific topics grab personal information.

Isolated or Alone

Seniors are uniformly isolated and spend much of their daily lives alone. In many cases of elderly fraud, if the victim had spoken to a family member or a friend, the scam would not have happened.

Naïve and Trusting

While most individuals over the age of 30 do not have any memories without the Internet, most seniors have lived their lives without using email or the Internet and have misappropriated trust. They are unaware of the complexities behind a seemingly safe email.

Diminished Decision-Making Skills

Most seniors experience some diminished mental capacity, and this affects their decision-making abilities.

Elderly Schemes Based on Personal Info

Some schemes are more targeted and involve emails and phone calls using personal information to target the individual. These targeted attacks use information gleaned through general phishing attacks to draw the individual into a scam.

Elderly fraud has resulted in devastating losses for victims, and the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has found that victims suffer an average loss of $34,200 through such scams. The FBI elder fraud department is focused entirely on elderly scams.

By Jim|2023-07-31T12:44:57-05:00August 6th, 2023|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Background

There are three major types of skin cancer: basal cell, squamous cell, and malignant melanoma (MM). Basal cell carcinoma is the most common skin cancer, accounting for 65–85% of cases (Kennedy-Malone et al., 2000). According to the American Cancer Society (2013), more than 3.5 million cases of basal cell and squamous cell skin cancer are diagnosed every year. Squamous cell carcinoma is more common in African Americans and is also less serious than malignant melanoma. Malignant melanoma accounts for only 3% of all skin cancers, but it is responsible for the majority of deaths from skin cancer. Older adults are 10 times more likely to get MM than adults under age 40 (Johnson & Taylor, 2012). About 8,420 people were estimated to die from malignant melanoma in 2008. The American Cancer Society (2013) estimated that in 2013 there would be over 76,000 new cases of malignant melanoma in the United States.

Risk Factors

Older adults are more susceptible to skin cancers because of a variety of factors. These include exposure to carcinogens over time (such as through sunburn or tanning booths) and immunosenescence, or a decline in immune function. Family history of skin cancers, multiple moles (more than 100), and pale skin also put a person at higher risk. The major risk factor for all types of skin cancer is sun exposure.

Warning Signs

The ABCDE method can help people remember the warning signs of skin cancer:
A = Asymmetry (if a line is drawn down the middle of the lesion, the two sides do not match)
B = Border (the borders of the lesion tend to be irregular)
C = Color (a variety of colors is present; the lesion is not uniform in color)
D = Diameter (MM lesions are usually larger)
E = Evolving (note any changes in shape or size, or any bleeding)

Diagnosis

Annual physical examinations should include inspection of the skin for lesions. Older adults should be taught to report any suspicious areas on their skin to the physician. Persons should particularly look for changes in shape, color, and whether a lesion is raised or bleeds.

Basal Cell Carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common kind of skin cancer. It is often found on the head or face, or other areas exposed to the sun. Although there are different forms of BCC, the nodular type is most common, and appears as a raised, firm, papule that is pearly or shiny with a rolled edge. (Johnson & Taylor, 2012). Patients often complain that these lesions bleed and scab easily. When treated early, it is easily removed through surgery and is not life threatening, though it is often recurring.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) also appears as lesion on areas of the body exposed to the sun, or from other trauma such as radiation. HPV is a risk factor of SCC, and metastasis is more common than with BCC. The lesions of SCC appear scaly, pink, and thicker than BCC. Their borders may be more irregular and the lesions may look more like an ulceration.

Malignant Melanoma

Malignant melanoma MM has a more distinctive appearance than other types of skin cancer. The areas appear asymmetric with irregular borders, a variety of colors (including black, purplish, and pink), and size greater than 6 mm. Malignant melanoma MM is often identified with the ABCDE method and MM accounts for the vast majority of deaths from skin cancer. The good news is that MM is almost always curable when found early. A skin check should be part of an older person’s yearly physical.

Treatment

The best treatment for skin cancer in the elderly is prevention. All older persons, especially those with fair skin who are prone to sunburn, should wear sunblock and protective clothing. Most skin cancers, when treated early, have a good prognosis.

All skin lesions larger than 6 mm, or those with any of the ABCDE signs, should be referred for biopsy. There are many nonsurgical interventions. These include cryotherapy, radiotherapy (for superficial BCC or SCC), electrodessication and curettage, and topical treatments. Topical treatments are generally not as effective as more aggressive interventions, but research is ongoing in this area.

The prognosis for MM depends on the extent and staging of the tumor, but when caught very early, the cure rate is nearly 100%. Malignant melanoma MM presenting in older adults is often more advanced and aggressive. Malignant melanoma MM metastases sites are typically the lymph nodes, liver, lung, and brain (Johnson & Taylor, 2012). Surgical treatment is required in malignant melanoma, with chemotherapy and radiation. Adjuvant treatments for MM are also often used.

For more information on Skin Cancer, visit the American Cancer Society at:
http://www.cancer.org/cancer/skincancer-melanoma/detailedguide/

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By Kristen Mauk|2023-07-27T15:47:23-05:00August 4th, 2023|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Short Lever Vs Long Lever Arm Movements / MedBridge

By Jim|2023-07-27T15:46:37-05:00August 2nd, 2023|News Posts|Comments Off

Guest Blog: How to Find a Profitable Side Gig as a Senior Caregiver

Working as a senior caregiver is a rewarding career choice. However, many caregivers find that their role doesn’t pay as much as they would like. Whether you want to save for retirement or supplement your earnings to improve your quality of life, a side gig can offer an additional source of income. A side gig can also provide a sense of personal fulfillment that may be lacking from a job that’s often associated with stress and burnout. As a result, you’ll enjoy a welcome change of pace from your day job and achieve a better overall work-life balance. The trick is finding a side gig that not only pays well but is also enjoyable.

Consider Running an Ecommerce Business

Launching an ecommerce business can be a great side gig for senior caregivers. As a caregiver, you might not have the luxury of a consistent work schedule, but you can run an ecommerce business from anywhere at any time. This will make it easier to balance your caregiving responsibilities with your side business.

Take advantage of online tools to get your business up and running as efficiently as possible. By setting up your business on an ecommerce platform, you’ll be able to build website pages, track analytics, manage inventory, and even process payments from one intuitive dashboard.

Offer and Market Online Freelance Services

Freelancing online is another option. There are a variety of services you could sell to clients remotely, from writing and consulting to web design and development. Freelancing will allow you to work in a field where you have expertise and experience, using your skills to earn extra money on the side of your full-time job. Additionally, compared with launching an ecommerce business, freelancing has lower startup costs which can make it more accessible if you don’t have a lot of money to invest in a side gig.

Creating brochures to advertise your freelancing skills is a great way to help generate more clients and can serve as an excellent supplement to your social media marketing, as well. If you aren’t sure how to get started, there are plenty of free templates that you can customize as needed; click here to know more.

You should also look into content marketing to really expand your customer base. By producing more targeted and exciting content, you can build a reputation for professionalism and expertise in your field. That leads to deeper trust with your customers – and of course, greater sales! In today’s extra-competitive market, freelancers in particular need every advantage they can get.

Provide Local Home Services

Not interested in working online? Selling Revolution suggests offering local home services to people in your community. For example, you could work as a cleaner, lawn care professional, handyperson, pet sitter, dog walker, painter, personal cook, personal shopper, or home organizer. Since you have experience caring for seniors, you could also offer in-home childcare or senior care services.

Pick something that aligns with your skills and interests so your side gig feels more like an enjoyable pastime than another job. You don’t necessarily need professional experience in your field of choice. As long as you’re confident in your skills and can produce great results for your clients, you’ll be successful!

Consider Your Legal Obligations

Whether you decide to start an online business, try freelancing, or offer local home services, make sure you cover your legal bases. One of the first things you’ll need to do is register your business. Pick a business structure, such as a sole proprietorship or LLC, and register with your state. Forming an LLC is generally a good idea as it will limit your personal liability and offer tax advantages. Keep in mind that you can use an online formation service to file your articles of organization if you’d rather not spend money on a lawyer.

If you work as a senior caregiver and you’re looking for ways to bring in extra income, try building a side business! You could start an ecommerce business, freelance online, or start a local home services company in your own city. Pay attention to your legal responsibilities and pick a side gig that’s compatible with your skills and interests to give yourself the best shot at success!

By Jim|2023-07-31T13:10:31-05:00July 31st, 2023|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Guest Blog: Suffering From Arthritis: 5 Objects To Make Your Life Easier

Arthritis is one of the most common diseases of the bones and joints around the world, specifically in women. In the simplest of terms, it is the chipping away of the protective layer of bones that help them slide smoothly against each other as you move. When this layer is damaged, friction increases which damages the joints progressively

Long Rod Object Graspers
One inevitable outcome of arthritis is the inability to reach up to objects placed on high shelves. Even if you try and do it, you end up feeling a lot of pain and stiffness in the joints afterwards. As such, one object that can help you on a daily basis to manage arthritis and carry out your daily tasks is to get a long rod grasper that allows you to get hold of things without having to look up or move your neck significantly. Same goes for bending down to lower shelves. Use a grasper to bring the objects onto the front and pick them up with holders.

Wheel Walker/Cane
Most of the arthritis patients experience distress due to their movement being restricted because of the disease. Walkers or canes help shift your weight on them and aid you in moving about in a better way, around the house as well as outside. Arthritis intensifies more when you are heavy weight because then your bones and joints have to bear more pressure. As such, this object helps in dividing the weight and managing the disease a great deal.

Assistive Kitchen Equipment
When t comes to working in the kitchen which is unavoidable, use equipment that shares the work you do with hands. For example, use electric or levered can openers rather than using knives that require you to exert significant pressure.

Hot water bottle
This is a heavy rubber bottle in which you can pour hot water, seal it shut and use it to warm your joint stiffness, especially in the morning. Arthritis patients regularly experience morning joint stiffness due to a consistent inactivity during the sleep hours. This helps prepare you for movement throughout the day. Even during the day if constant work causes pain in the joints, you can sit for a couple of minutes to warm your joints with hot water bottle and feel better.