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News from Seniors And Law Enforcement Together (SALT)

A Family Member Nightmare

Envision this scenario:

Great Aunt Emma lives alone and cherishes her independence. Her children all live a few states away, so she has hired someone to occasionally come in and be a caregiver to her.

Emma seems to be showing signs of early dementia. The caregiver has been extremely nice to Emma and has worked her way into Emma’s graces.

The family now realizes that the caretaker and her boyfriend have been stealing from Emma. They have obtained her van with a forged bill of sale and have taken the title. They have also gone to her bank and wiped out her safety deposit box containing many valuable documents and items. It appears other things have been taken from the home.

What does the family do now? What would you do now? What can you do to prevent something like this from happening to one of your family members? Who would you call? How can you feel confident that the caregivers you hire are competent and trustworthy?

You can feel confident because the Quad Cities has an extensive senior service community, so knowing what services your aging loved one needs is the first step. Talk to his/her healthcare provider to find out what they recommend or  prescribe for services. After you know, research the programs and services available that can assist you with meeting your loved one’s needs. You can do this by going to their website, calling them directly, talking with neighbors, co-workers or other people you may know who’ve been in similar situations and used the services of the any of the care-giving programs in the area. Agencies like the Center For Active Seniors, Inc. (CASI) have staff members who can provide you information about the programs and services. CASI and Milestones Area Agency on Aging are your primary senior service organizations in Iowa. Alternatives for the Older Adult and the Western Illinois Area on Aging serve the Illinois Quad Cities.