Sometimes humans are terribly disappointing. I do not understand those people who are behind all the robo/scam calls. I know I am fortunate to live in the U.S. and had parents that provided a nice, stable life and opportunities to thrive.
Every week I deal with older adults who have fallen prey to a crook. Some of them hooked in over a phone call, while others walk into their homes and overcharged or stole money from their wallets. The most heart-breaking are those clients that have “friends” taking advantage of their good nature, good fortune, or inability to even recognize their “friend” is taking advantage of them.
The best way to help is to just be available to your loved one. Listen, watch, be curious. Most people have myriad systems to manage their financial accounts, personal information, and online usernames and passcodes. For an easy way to open the door, you could buy them a workbook to get organized on Amazon for around $20 or direct from the author for less than $15 plus shipping. It is one way you can start the conversation about all of the information that you might need to be able to help a loved one.
If you have someone who is having trouble managing, but doesn’t recognize it, be ready to help when they ask for it. Sometimes you have to let someone fail before they will allow you to step up and help them.
Patience. It is one of the hardest skills I continue to work on honing. When it comes to helping out a loved one, it is one that could benefit you both. Suggested.
To learn more, check out this story from Equifax. You do not need to pay for their services to get your credit report. Every year they are required to provide one for free. If you set up an online account, you can usually get an updated version monthly.