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Dementia is described by the Alzheimer’s Association as “an overall term that describes a wide range of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a person’s ability to perform everyday activities.” Indeed, there are a variety of types of dementia, depending upon the types of brain cells damaged, and where specifically that damage has occurred within the brain.

Regardless of the type of dementia an elder may have, it is important that symptoms are recognized as soon as possible in order to ensure the safety and wellbeing of your loved elder. Even if an elder is receiving care or assistance from a family member, in-home caregiver, or residing in a nursing home or skilled nursing facility, it is still vital to recognize symptoms of mental decline in elders. This is partly due to the fact that unfortunately, it is believed elders who suffer from some form of dementia are thought to be at greater risk for abuse or neglect than elders who do not have some form of dementia.

In fact, according to one research brief released by the NCEA, three different international studies have found that the rates of elder abuse for elders with dementia ranges from 34%-62%.

Symptoms that a loved elder in your life may be developing dementia include cognitive changes and psychological changes. Some of these changes may include:

*Memory loss/problems
*Trouble choosing the right words
*Disorientation or getting lost
*Challenges in planning/organizing
*Coordination or motor function difficulties
*Agitation or paranoia
*Inappropriate behavior
*Lack of proper personal care and poor nutrition/eating habits
*Difficulty sleeping
*Injuries/personal safety problems

If you believe that a loved elder in your life is beginning to show symptoms of dementia, it is important to take action, though it’s advisable to tread lightly, per the helpful website DementiaToday.net, which provides DementiaToday.net for how to talk to a loved elder about your concerns.

If you have reason to believe that a loved elder with dementia is being abused physically, financially, psychologically, or sexually, it is important that you report your suspicions to the proper authorities:

• The local Law Enforcement, including the Police, Sheriff, and District Attorney’s office. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department can be reached at (858) 565-5200. The San Diego County District Attorney may be reached at (619) 531-4040.
• Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program provide a 24/7 Crisis Complaint Hotline at (800) 231-4024.
• Adult Protective Services (APS), in San Diego County, you may contact: San Diego County Aging and Independent Services (858) 495-5660.

You may also want to seek the advice of an experienced San Diego elder abuse attorney who can inform you and your loved one of your rights.
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If a loved elder in your family is showing signs that they need assistance in their lives because they are no longer able to manage everything as they once did, it’s time to consider what type of help/assistance they need. There are many different types of assistance available, ranging from housekeepers to attorneys.

Here’s a look at the different types of assistance available for seniors in San Diego.

1. Emergency Response Alarms Because so many elders fall each year, with many facing grave injuries or illness as the result of a fall, it’s imperative that an elder at risk for falling have an in-home emergency response device installed. This will ensure that an elder who has fallen will receive appropriate and immediate treatment.

2. Non-Medical In-Home Assistance The types of services offered through non-medical in-home assistants may include transportation to appointments, help with grocery shopping and meal preparation, bill paying, housekeeping and even just companionship. However, it’s crucial that you thoroughly check references of any one who will be assisting a loved elder. Seek out only those who are bonded and insured for added assurance that your loved elder will be well cared for.

3. Respite Care/Spousal Care Respite care or spousal care is available for family members who choose to care for their loved elder themselves. Because caregivers and spouses may face challenges in caring for their loved ones, you may wish to contact the San Diego Regional Office of Respite Services to help find assistance so that the caregiver may have time off to attend to personal tasks and obligations.

4. Residential Care Assisted Living Homes
Assisted living homes will generally offer elders a wide variety of services including meals, laundry, daily activity assistance, medication supervision and/or transportation services. To find an assisted living facility in San Diego, you may consider visiting SeniorHomes.com to begin your search for the best facility for your loved one.

If you are uncertain as to what type of assistance your loved elder needs, you may want to consult a Geriatric Care Manager, such as those available at www.eldercareguides.com. These San Diego experts will work with you to determine what types of care your elder may require, and provide you with a host of options to meet your needs.
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Financial abuse of elders is an unfortunate reality. In fact, elders are often specifically targeted by criminals looking to commit fraud and identity theft. There are many ways to prevent fraud and identity theft. It is important for elders, or their loved ones, to monitor their credit, and regularly review account statements to try to prevent or stop financial abuse.

All Californians are entitled to one free credit report per year from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. To get your free annual credit report visit www.annualcreditreport.com. This federal government approved website will enable you to pull your credit, or the credit of a loved senior, and receive a full report once each year.

While one free credit search is made available each year, elders would be smart to check their credit 2 or 3 times per year. Credit reports typically cost less than $20, and provide invaluable peace of mind by confirming that unauthorized accounts have not been opened, nor have illegitimate items been charged.

In addition to obtaining regular credit reports, it’s a good idea to have duplicate copies of monthly account statements sent not only to the elder, but to their trusted Financial Advisor, attorney, CPA, or a trusted family member. This will provide additional confirmation that all charges appear accurate, nobody has acquired the account number, and it is not being used without the consent of the elder.

Warning signs of fraud on bank statements may include:

*Withdrawals from outside of the elder’s primary area residence;
*Repeated withdrawals, particularly if the elder spends most of their time at home; and
*Checks written to unusual or unfamiliar people, organizations, or stores.

Keeping an eye on credit is important for Californians of all ages. However, it is especially important to monitor credit statements and account balances for elders who may have declining mental capacities, or medical conditions such as dementia that put them at greater risk for becoming a victim of financial elder abuse.

If you suspect, or confirm that your loved elder is the victim of financial abuse in California there are certain steps you should take. You may report any suspicion of abuse to the National Elder Abuse Hotline at 1-800-677-1116. In California, reports can be made to the local county Adult Protective Services Agency or to local law enforcement.
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According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “Elder abuse is a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person.”

In a study conducted by the WHO in 2017, it was estimated that 15.7 percent of people aged 60 or older experienced some sort of abuse, such as physical, verbal, emotional and/or financial, when the WHO reviewed collected data from 52 studies in 28 countries. Of note, in institutions such as nursing homes and long-term care facilities, 2 out of 3 staff members reported committing elder abuse within the past year. The WHO described abuse in institutions to include, but not be limited to, “physically restraining patients, depriving them of dignity (for instance, by leaving them in soiled clothes) and choice over daily affairs; intentionally providing insufficient care (such as allowing them to develop pressure sores); over- and under-medicating and withholding medication from patients; and emotional neglect and abuse.”

The need for innovation and transformative procedures is highly desired in the elder community. In a press release issued last month by Senators Cory Booker and Bob Menendez, they announced that Rutgers’ Institute of Health, Healthcare Policy and Aging Research School is setting out to change those statistics and was permitted over $1.4 million in federal grants from The Elder Justice Innovation Grants which was established by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) in 2016. In their joint press release, Sen. Booker and Sen. Menendez agreed that Americans should not have to worry about falling prey to exploitation and abuse as they age, especially when suffering from an incurable disease such as Alzheimer’s.

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Thousands of elders become victims of financial abuse each year. Studies have sought to determine why so many elders fall prey to financial scams, and by and large, it is the vulnerability of elders that puts them at greatest risk for being victimized. Whether that abuse is initiated via phone scams, where thieves claim to be from the IRS, or via people who are trying to scam elders via a trust mill, there are a lot of people seeking to take advantage of elders in California.

Senior seminars, which advertise a free lunch, are yet another common scam used for financial predators to target potential victims. The scam works like this:

*There is a “Senior Seminar” advertised/offered which provides a free lunch.

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There are plenty of opportunists (read: criminals) looking for ways to obtain the sensitive, personal information of seniors. From digging through trash, to stealing from mailboxes, identity theft is alive and well in 2015. Many criminals specifically seek out the information of California seniors, who may be more vulnerable to having their identity stolen.

While there is no foolproof way to guarantee that your private information (date of birth, bank account numbers, social security number, etc.) won’t fall into the hands of someone with bad intentions, there are things you can do to reduce the likelihood that you or an elder you love will fall prey to identity theft.

  1. Shred Everything
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It is no secret that many people have difficulty asking others for help. Elders living in Southern California are no different. Even though physical and mental capabilities may start to diminish with aging, it is still not easy for many seniors to let others know they are struggling.

That is why it is up to all of us to keep an eye on aging family members or friends. Here is a list of warning signs that a senior you love may need help from family members or professionals.

  1. Abnormal or repeated phone calls If your grandmother, mother, father, or other elder family members begin making phone calls to you repeatedly, or at peculiar times of day, it may indicate confusion. It may also be a sign of memory loss, or could indicate that the elder is feeling lonely or depressed. If you notice these types of calls, try scheduling set calls with your loved one every day to see if they stick to those times and calls. If they don’t, it may be indicative of cognitive decline.
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If a loved elder in your family is showing signs that they need assistance in their lives because they are no longer able to manage everything as they once did, it’s time to consider what type of help/assistance they need. There are many different types of assistance available, ranging from housekeepers to attorneys.

Here’s a look at the different types of assistance available for seniors in San Diego.

1. Emergency Response Alarms Because so many elders fall each year, with many facing grave injuries or illness as the result of a fall, it’s imperative that an elder at risk for falling have an in-home emergency response device installed. This will ensure that an elder who has fallen will receive appropriate and immediate treatment.

2. Non-Medical In-Home Assistance The types of services offered through non-medical in-home assistants may include transportation to appointments, help with grocery shopping and meal preparation, bill paying, housekeeping and even just companionship. However, it’s crucial that you thoroughly check references of any one who will be assisting a loved elder. Seek out only those who are bonded and insured for added assurance that your loved elder will be well cared for.

3. Respite Care/Spousal Care Respite care or spousal care is available for family members who choose to care for their loved elder themselves. Because caregivers and spouses may face challenges in caring for their loved ones, you may wish to contact the San Diego Regional Office of Respite Services to help find assistance so that the caregiver may have time off to attend to personal tasks and obligations.

4. Residential Care Assisted Living Homes
Assisted living homes will generally offer elders a wide variety of services including meals, laundry, daily activity assistance, medication supervision and/or transportation services. To find an assisted living facility in San Diego, you may consider visiting SeniorHomes.com to begin your search for the best facility for your loved one.

If you are uncertain as to what type of assistance your loved elder needs, you may want to consult a Geriatric Care Manager, such as those available at www.eldercareguides.com. These San Diego experts will work with you to determine what types of care your elder may require, and provide you with a host of options to meet your needs.

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Nearly 70% of elder abuse victims are women, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. It is worth noting that the population of elder women is much larger than the population of elderly men in the United States, however, that does not make these alarming statistics any less disturbing.

Why are women the victims of elder abuse more often than men? There are a few reasons most experts tend to agree upon.

  1. Elderly females may be seen as easier targets for physical, financial, emotional, or even sexual abuse.
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In California, the family of an elder who has passed away due to nursing home neglect or abuse has the right to file a lawsuit against the perpetrators seeking damages for the pain and suffering the elder was subjected to, and the wrongful death caused by the neglect.

To prove that an elder died in a California nursing home due to neglect, experienced California elder abuse attorneys will help you complete a thorough investigation to determine whether the evidence supports the necessary elements to prove the defendant failures caused the death. The following include some of the criteria that will be analyzed:

1.Supplying the necessaries of nutrition, hydration, hygiene or medical care for an elder or dependent adult;

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