Sebastian Quinn

Financial Abuse of an Elderly Family Member Sebastian Quinn

FINANCIAL ABUSE OF THE ELDERLY BY FAMILY MEMBERS - HAVE YOU NO SHAME? It is indeed an unfortunate saga all too often encountered today in our society. A society highly debt-ridden, fast-paced, and crowded with non-achievers and those too inept to provide for themselves. It is a story of abject and wretched greed: -Of the young - and the not so young, -Of those ill-equipped emotionally and educationally to fend for themselves; -Of those who lack the tenancy and the drive to be truly self-sufficient and independent; -Of those too lazy or too lethargic to strive for self-independence or simply; -Of those too inept to establish their own financial model for success and survival. Thus they take the life-savings, the limited retirement income of their parents or grandparents, ultimately placing their elder family members in a state of utter financial ruin and heavily burdened by staggering financial debt perhaps even resulting in personal bankruptcy. In any community, especially adult or senior living communities, the stories of family greed and scams is staggering, almost beyond comprehension. Why is it that those of us now retired often seem to possess far greater financial and property assets and management skills than those in the younger generation; after all we saved and sent our children to college, timely paid the mortgage, tendered the car payments, and still saved for our own retirement. I acknowledge that we are perhaps the last generation receiving partial or full pensions as well as Social Security payments. For the most part we planned for both our current and future needs - stashing money in IRA's, 401k's and 457 Plans as well as traditional savings accounts. I know many individuals today that are in their forties to fifties who will not be entitled to traditional pensions; however, they have saved and contributed on a regular basis in retirement accounts of various kinds often receiving some form of limited match by their employer. These individuals plan for their children's college education, vacations, new homes, and retirement. Unfortunately there seems to be a growing trend for increasing numbers of the next generation where 'planning' is a lost art-form believing they will someday inherit from mother, father, or the grandparents. Some cannot wait for that inheritance and rip-off their parents and grandparents in advance - often leaving the elderly virtually destitute and in a state of utter misery and despair, this is so often true of those now living alone - those widowed or divorced. The following is such a wretched story. Oh how I wish the story I am about to share with you was merely a saga of pure fiction - unfortunately - it is not.