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Ms. R. was 89 years old when she called our agency for home care.  She had gone through some minor surgery, and needed someone to be with her for a few days until she fully recovered.  She had a wonderful demeanor and a life full of social activities.  Like many of our patients, she lived independently, and without the support of a family.  She had a few cousins, a niece, and a nephew.  They were not especially close to her, and the contact with them was minimal.

When our aide started working with Ms. R., she was very vocal about not trusting her family and thinking that their only interest in her was the money she would be leaving them.

We noticed that a non-for-profit organization visited Ms. R. regularly, bringing small gifts, and slowly gaining her trust.  As was our policy, we did not interfere in the client’s affairs, unless there is something illegal or endangering to the client.

Ms. R. decided to maintain home care service, even though she bounced back from her surgery.  Months went by and the service went smoothly, with Ms R. resuming her social life, going to senior centers, small trips, concerts, and religious services. The aide was always by her side.

One morning I received a phone call from a representative of the organization that was regularly visiting Ms. R. One of their administrators, in a very friendly voice, introduced herself and said that they have a very good relationship with Ms. R., and they are working toward having her appoint them as her guardians. This would transfer the management of her finances to them.                                                                                

She proceeded to ask me how much our agency was charging Ms. R. for the services we provide.  I refused to give her this information, stating that this was private information.  “Don’t worry; we will pay you twice as much, when we take over.  And everyone will be happy.”

I refused to continue the conversation, and hung up.  I did inform Ms. R. about this call and advised her to let her lawyer know about this.

Some months went by, until one morning I received a call from Ms. R.; she was crying and told me, “Please come, they are forcing me to sign some papers.” I caught a taxi, and ran up to her apartment, which was not very far.

In the apartment a woman and a lawyer representing the organization were trying to explain to me that Ms. R. had asked them to take over the management of her financial affairs.  All the while, Ms. R. kept repeating that she never said any such thing, and she may be old, but she is not crazy.

I asked Ms. R. “Do you want them to leave?” She said “yes.”  I proceeded to ask them to leave, and informed them that I will inform my client’s attorney regarding what had just happened.  I did just that, and as far as I recall, her attorney wrote a letter to the organization, stating that it is illegal and unethical to try to force an elderly person to sign legal papers without the presence of her attorney.

For a long time I kept thinking, what if I had not been there?  What if she had no one to call?  Most elderly people can be talked into or intimidated into doing things that may hurt them in the long run.  And this was a so-called legitimate organization that was out to get control over her finances, and in turn, control over her life.

To prevent this from happening, a person who does not have family or friends involved in their life needs to put in place a financial plan, designating someone they trust to step in to look after their needs, when they are unable to do it independently. It is advisable to designate two people; it may be your attorney and a relative or friend, so they are accountable to each other.

For more info: www.goldenyearsgolden.com

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About the Author: 

Eva Mor was born in Poland to Holocaust survivors. Both her parents lost most of their immediate family to the Nazis. She was born after the war, and her early childhood was in Poland, after which she immigrated to Israel with her family. Dr. Mor adjusted quickly to her life in Israel and loved it there.

The only thing she missed terribly was not having grandparents. Both sets of her grandparents were killed by the Nazis.  This fact has colored her professional life. After the obligatory military service, in which she served in the Air Force, she came to the United States where she completed all her higher education.  She has since returned to Israel for two years to do epidemiological research for the World Health Organization of the United Nations. She is an epidemiologist and a health care specialist. She also holds a Masters degree in Gerontology and Health Administration.

For the last 23 years Dr. Mor has dedicated her career to bettering the lives of the elderly.  She has done so through work in nursing homes, chronic disease institutions, and acute care hospitals, as well as in home care services. She has been part of planning committees for the improvement of health services for seniors, and has done research to find out what services are available for this specific population, and what should be developed in the future.

 With that in mind Dr. Mor set out to write the book, “MAKING THE GOLDEN YEARS GOLDEN.” The book brings to you, with much love and care, the information you need for yourself and those dear to you, in order to make the golden years truly golden.

www.goldenyearsgolden.com 

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