Preventing Financial Exploitation of the Elderly

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Andrew Bellard

Financial crimes against the elderly are more common than many people realize.  Our elderly family members, neighbors, and friends are easy targets of bad people and it is our duty to protect them and ensure those who victimize them are brought to justice.  This blog will expound on this major issue over the coming weeks, but will begin with a few pointers on preventing crimes from occurring:

  • You can never be too careful!  Regardless of whom the caregiver is in mom’s home, always treat valuables as if it is a total stranger.  This protects mom AND the caregiver.
  • Take a step back and analyze.  It is easy to miss items that may be deemed “attractive” to a would-be thief since you are likely in the home on a regular basis.  Look at your loved one’s home as if you are a total stranger.  You may even want to bring in a trusted but unfamiliar face to the surroundings to truly get an altruistic and unbiased view.  Remember, no matter how uncomfortable, “think like a thief!”
  • The easiest items are jewelry, money, and financial instruments (checks, debit/credit cards, etc.).  These can easily be placed in a pocket and can be chalked up to being “lost”.  Always lock up these items in a safe or a completely secure area behind lock and key.
  • Reconcile bank statements and beware of suspicious or missing checks.  Checks out of sequence are a big red flag.
  • If your loved one is paying someone for a service outside of what you contracted, remove the caregiver immediately!  Taking advantage of an elderly person’s naivety, kindness, or diminished capacity is as big a crime as petty theft.
  • If things begin to go missing, do not assume!  This can protect the caregiver and the client.  Watch for patterns and immediately investigate everything.
  • Never allow a caregiver to have too much control over your loved one’s affairs.  Establishing firewalls, or checks and balance systems, is always a good idea.  For example, if your caregiver pays mom’s bills, a separate person should open the mail and reconcile the bank statements.  Think of running a household like it’s a business!

The next entry will discuss how to avoid crimes and prevent them from happening in the first place.

Posted in Caregivers, choosing home care, Financial Exploitation | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Technology and Aging

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Andrew Bellard

Having a loved one who receives care but who does not live in your home can be worrisome and stressful. How do you know if the Caregiver is with your mom? What is the schedule this week? It’s time for a doctor’s visit- how was dad’s behavior last month? These are all questions that can be mostly answered with the integration of a little technology.

All good home care agencies use varying levels of technology including online scheduling systems, telephone based time clocks, and PDF formatted care notes. Let’s break down some of these concerns.

1) The biggest concern we at AFNB hear is how to ensure the caregivers are in the home and on-time. In conjunction with this is how to ensure billing is accurate. The answer is actually quite simple: we integrate a telephone based time-clock called PATTI that allows the caregiver to call a toll-free number the second they walk in the door. This alerts our staff that she is there, on-time, and working. If she is late, we receive an immediate text message alert so that we can provide back-up and alert the client and her family. This integrates with our billing so invoices are billed to the minute!
2) Our company also uses a web-based scheduling software called Rosemark by Shoshana Technologies that allows families and clients to access their schedules from anywhere in the world. This secure portal provides information on the caregiver and schedule for peace of mind.
3) One of the easiest ways to share care notes with families is through scanning and emailing or “cloud” collaboration. These notes are permanently attached to each client’s file so that they can easily be emailed or shared at any time requested. When going to the doctor or other healthcare professional, having these daily notes can provide great insight into your loved one’s history and condition.

It is so easy to use technology in our world, but it does require some interest and an altruistic desire to offer valuable solutions to our clients. We at A First Name Basis believe it is well worth it to assist our clients and their families with information.

Posted in Caregivers, choosing home care, technology | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Holiday Time with Loved Ones

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Andrew Bellard

During the holidays, families gather with loved ones seen less often.  It is a wonderful time to bond, laugh, and love each other, but there is something else that can be gained from spending time with aging family and friends.  This is a great opportunity to lay eyes on Mom or Dad and get a true assessment of their needs.

For the adult-child who lives far away and comes home less often, it is a unique chance to observe how Mom has changed over the last year.  Those who see her more often may be less likely to notice small and gradual changes like weakness and memory deficiencies.  Those who do visit often can offer a nice perspective and baseline from which to begin the discussion about what the next step should be.  Things to look for:

  • Tidiness: Is you loved one cleaning less and is personal hygiene less than it used to be?
  • Is Mom less talkative and engaging?  Is she maybe compensating for a deficiency?
  • Does Dad not keep the yard as neat as he once did or is he losing interest in friends and outings?
  • Has grandma consistently told you all is well yet her food isn’t quite as flavorful and her cooking skills seems to be slightly “off”?

While these changes are often typical of the aging process, they may also represent something bigger.  The secret is to be aware, ask questions, and intervene early to avoid something more significant happening.  Also, kick back and enjoy the time with your loved ones.  Life is very short so every moment we have is precious.  Happy Holidays!

Posted in Alzheimer's care, Holiday | Tagged , , | 29 Comments

Finding Personal Care Attendants in Louisiana Doesn’t Have to be Difficult

Posted on December 14, 2011 by admin

If you’re a family member taking care of an elderly or infirm patient and are at wits end trying to balance your time, stop and breathe for a moment. While you’re at it, read this. There’s no reason for you to do all of that work yourself. Finding a personal care attendants in Louisiana isn’t all that difficult. You’ve actually stumbled upon one right now and we’d be happy to take some of that load off your shoulders. Our services include a lot of those small tasks you feel obligated to do. We make beds, wash dishes, cook, even feed and walk the dog if need be.

We also, of course, take care of the more personal needs of our clients. We can dress them, help with toileting, remind them when to take meds, and act as a companion when they need someone to talk to. Our personal care attendants are trained to do dozens of jobs in and around the house to make life easier for those who can’t do those things for themselves anymore. If you’re doing all those jobs yourself now, while trying to work and spend time with your own family at the same time, something isn’t getting the attention it deserves. That something is probably you.

For some inexplicable reason, family caregivers often believe that finding an outside caregiver will be difficult. It doesn’t have to be. Your situation isn’t as unique as you think it is. We have taken care of Louisiana Alzheimer’s care patients, hospice patients, and patients who need twenty-four hour attention. Our people have been trained to handle what you are trying to do without any training. We’re better equipped for it and we’re more affordable than you might think.

If you have a loved one who needs personal care and assistance for more than a few hours a day, you need help. We admire you if you try to do it all yourself. The motivation behind an action like that is usually a good one. However, it’s not a wise decision unless you have no other responsibilities. If you have a job and a family, they need to take precedence. We can handle the personal care tasks for you. That’s our job.

Posted in Uncategorized | 16 Comments