Since 2001 I have been a professional guardian, a job that is
equal parts medical protector and financial bodyguard. This book tells the
story of my small part in the battle against one of the great crime waves of
history -- the looting of the estates of elderly Americans.
The statistics of elder financial abuse in America are staggering. The best estimates are that something like two point seven billion dollars a year are scammed from as many as a million victims. Financial abuse of the elderly is a quiet crime. Victims are isolated from their families and coaxed or coerced into assisting in their own downfall. Bank accounts are transferred and deeds are executed by vulnerable elders who may not even understand what they are signing.
Something awful happens to elders who are ripped off by corrupt caregivers, phony investment advisors or the sweet young gal they met in the produce department at Safeway or Kroger. They become depressed, stop eating, stop caring and turn away from this world. People who steal money from elders also steal lives, but those lives can be restored.
The statistics of elder financial abuse in America are staggering. The best estimates are that something like two point seven billion dollars a year are scammed from as many as a million victims. Financial abuse of the elderly is a quiet crime. Victims are isolated from their families and coaxed or coerced into assisting in their own downfall. Bank accounts are transferred and deeds are executed by vulnerable elders who may not even understand what they are signing.
Something awful happens to elders who are ripped off by corrupt caregivers, phony investment advisors or the sweet young gal they met in the produce department at Safeway or Kroger. They become depressed, stop eating, stop caring and turn away from this world. People who steal money from elders also steal lives, but those lives can be restored.
The stories here have been adapted from some of my first cases. I have changed the names and rearranged details and anecdotes to protect identities, but the stories are essentially true.
As a guardian myself, I really appreciated this book by Kevin. He draws a very clear picture of the role of a guardian in a vulnerable adult's life. He describes the hazards of dealing with scam artists and the rewards of seeing a positive change in an elder's life. Guardians do this work not for the financial reward but for knowing at night that your clients are protected, safe, and content instead of lying in urine and in pain. When Kevin drew from his own life experiences too, these also struck a chord. Each family has its own "Larry" that must be dealt with at some point, while protecting the senior who often does not want to be protected. Good job Kevin, in holding up a mirror to our own lives.
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