My mother, near the end of her life and had been with diagnosed Alzheimer’s disease, was put into a nursing home by my brother without telling me, extremely urged on by his witchy wife. They just did it and that was wrong. I found her in a denomination-based home that was not her own.
Clever on their part, but the detectives were scammed since my mother was hidden in my brother’s mansion. My brother and his ughs-ville wife told the detectives they were home alone. When the detectives left, they insisted by phone I should look everywhere to find her. And I did just that. She died in that Lutheran nursing home, alone, and without her two children to comfort her during her passing.
It was 2005 when she died and I know that was l a long time ago, but now my daughter-in-law’s father has Alzheimer’s and I’m reminded of my mother once again. But life goes on, I so desperately want to believe. My mother never got the chance, but her father jumps at any chance of making the Alzheimer’s disappear because he is aware enough that he has that disease.Â
You likely know somebody who has Alzheimer’s, one form of dementia? Did you know that Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, making up between 60-80% of all dementia cases?
So here are the ten most ways that scammers attract Alzheimer sufferers:Â
- Unproven Alzheimer’s “Cures” & Supplements:
Scammers exploit the hope and desperation of patients and families by selling “miracle” pills, dietary supplements (e.g., ginkgo biloba, fish oil), or unproven therapies claiming to reverse or slow the disease. The FDA warns that these products are often unsafe and lack scientific backing.
- Government Impersonation Scams:
Criminals call or email claiming to be from the IRS or Social Security Administration. They use intimidation, threatening arrest or loss of benefits unless “unpaid taxes” or “fees” are paid immediately.
- Funeral & Cemetery Scams:
Scammers read obituaries to find grieving widows or widowers, then claim the deceased person had an “outstanding debt” that must be paid immediately.
- Sweepstakes and Lottery Scams:
Victims receive “good news” that they have won a large prize but must first pay “taxes” or “processing fees” to claim it. Because of memory issues, patients may not remember that they never entered the contest.
- The Emergency Scam:
Fraudsters call pretending to be a grandchild in urgent trouble (e.g., arrested, in a car accident) and ask for immediate funds via wire transfer or gift cards. They often beg the victim not to tell other family members, relying on the victim’s emotional response and potential confusion.
- Medicare & Health Insurance Fraud:
Scammers pose as Medicare representatives to steal personal information or Social Security numbers. They may offer fake medical equipment or benefits to bill Medicare fraudulently, leaving the victim with compromised identity records.
- Charity Scams:
Fraudsters solicit donations to fake Alzheimer’s research foundations, exploiting the person’s emotional connection to their own diagnosis and their desire to help others.
- Tech Support Fraud:
A pop-up or caller claims the victim’s computer has a virus or security problem. They pressure the individual to pay for “repairs” or grant remote access, which allows them to steal banking information.
- Home Repair or Doorstep Scams:
Scammers offer unsolicited home or auto repairs, claiming to have “leftover materials” or seeing a “dangerous” problem. They often take a cash deposit and never return, or perform shoddy, unnecessary work.
- Investment and Reverse Mortgage Schemes:
Fraudsters offer “risk-free” investments or complex financial products like fraudulent reverse mortgages to steal equity from a victim’s home. They may target those managing their own retirement funds as cognitive decline begins.
- Rather than taking full control immediately, you can be granted view-only access to the account. This allows you to monitor transactions in real-time without the person with Alzheimer’s feeling like their autonomy has been removed.
- Establish a Power of Attorney early to allow a trusted person to manage finances as the disease progresses. This legal document allows a designated agent to step in and manage the accounts, often without needing a lawyer for every transaction.
- Screen calls and mail, and limit access to checkbooks and credit cards.
- Set up account alerts at a financial institution.
- Register with the Do Not Call Registry and consider credit freezes.
- Consult an elder law attorney to review legal documents regularly.
- For daily “pocket money” or small errands, provide a prepaid debit card instead of a traditional debit card. You can reload these cards with a fixed amount, such as $50 a week, preventing accidental overspending or large-scale fraud.
- If a scam occurs, report it immediately to the FBI and/or FTC.
- Set up automatic payments for all recurring bills (utilities, mortgage) to prevent service shut-offs if a bill is forgotten.Â
- Ensure all income (Social Security, pensions) is directly deposited to prevent the loss or theft of physical checks.
Aside from giving money to all those rotten fraudsters, confusion is a major trigger for anxiety in those with Alzheimer’s. Making the home user-friendly can reduce problems:Â
- Fall Prevention: Remove trip hazards by clearing away area rugs, clutter, and electrical cords to stop falls.
- Improve Lighting:Â Use high-wattage bulbs to reduce shadows, which can be interpreted as holes or intruders (a phenomenon known as “sundowning”).
-
Install automatic shut-off valves on the stove or hide the knobs if they try to cook unsupervised.
-
Use tape to label drawers (e.g., “Socks,” “Utensils”) and put signs on doors like “Bathroom.”
- Visual Aids:Â Use a large, digital clock that displays the day of the week and the date.
- As the brain changes, processing language becomes difficult. How you speak is often more important than what you say, so use the “One Question” Rule: Ask only one question at a time.
- Always approach from the front and maintain eye contact so they aren’t startled.
- If they say they want to “go home” while sitting in their living room, don’t argue. Instead, validate their feelings and say something like, “I know you feel restless so let’s have a snack and then we can look at (some photos or television)” making the situation tenable.
- Keep meals, medication, and bedtime at the exact same time every day.
- Maintain a designated basket near the door for keys, wallets, and glasses so they are never lost.
- Ensure they wear a “MedicAlert” or GPS-tracking bracelet in case they get lost.
- Joining a group (like the Alzheimer’s Association) provides a space to vent and share tips with people who truly understand the “shadow of grief” of the disease.
While no one can change the mind’s decline, Tara Reed said, the author of What to do Between the Tears:
Although no one can change the outcome of dementia or Alzheimer’s, with the right support, you can change the journey.
My daughter-in-law is doing just that.
Joyce, you’ve explained well the typical problems faced and how those with problems are targeted. Great prevention notes also. Thanks! Kate