its so sad when these scammer who pray on pensioners and people not sure what to do
This is going to be a massive problem in the future.
With elderly and/or vulnerable people, including those with dementia living on their own, increasingly isolated and away from family's watchful eyes it is hard to keep people monitored and safe. All it takes is one fall or UTI and a person can go from being capable, if a bit slow moving to incapable of maintaining themselves in a healthy state. TIs are really dangerous by the way. And if they don't have their card taken away in good time then scammers can clear them out.
If the family isn't used to watching the person or fails to realise how bad things are then elderly and vulnerable people go downhill fast. Dehydration is a big factor, then nutrition which leads to mental deterioration. I've seen it happen a lot and your talking about less than 6 months to the person isn't managing and needs carers in or into a home.
So people don't realise Mum/Dad/ Mr/Mrs down the road are too sore or disorientated to go to the shop or go get a drink of tea or water, cook some food, or to stand and wash themselves, or get into the bath, or do the dishes safely. Or are afraid if they drink then they'll need to pee and they are too sore to get up and go to the toilet, or are even too sore to go to bed. Once a person stops moving, they lose the ability to move. That leads to them getting dehydrated/malnourished/hygiene becomes an issue physically and mentally. Who wants to be seen when their not as dapper as they once were, so depression can become a problem. They maybe a bit embarrassed at having to ask for help or not wanting to put someone to any trouble- a very common refrain.
It is hard to judge and the medical side can take months to move anywhere. People can have good and bad days so it can be hard to tell how they are actually doing. I knew people and on good days they were lucid and sharp as can be, on bad days, wow. Then there's the memory and articulation problems. They may forget to tell you someone came to the door or called, they maybe unable to tell you. Or understand what has happened. Carer's will usually or hopefully do their best, but they aren't there all the time to see or hear what is going on. They can't take responsibility for money and if family do nothing then what can they do? I've visited people and found them upset, unable to tell me that someone without a British accent usually was screaming at them for their card details because "they ordered something" which they hadn't. Some were still on the phone and earned a row from me, then a call to the TPS. In all those cases the individual's had no internet access, their money had been taken off them and couldn't work the phone to call out so they couldn't arrange or agree to any sales.
Twice sales people tried to blag their way into two someone's
with dementia houses up here and I had to wade in. One was near the In Laws house and I was passing, got the business card and told them to leave the person alone, they had dementia. I was told "I will be back tomorrow to discuss new windows". I told them they wouldn't, if they didn't leave alone I'd report them to the police and family for harassment and attempted scam, I have your card details. The second I scooped them in front of me and barged in the house squacking ooh (name), it's good I've seen you, I was talking to your child and they want you to call them before 10 minutes time and asked me to call in since I was passing. Told the chugger who tried to follow us in and get me to sign up sorry we need to go, this is important. I locked the door, made the person a cup of tea, got them a bit of cake and alerted the family that I was in the house and why. Who also.
That last person's family and I complained against a very well known charity who kept putting letters through the doors of every house several times. 3 at least were binned from there alone I was told. It was written as if it was a friend talking to the homeowner about how they'd died of a stroke or heart attack and how the person could help save other people by donating money to the charity. Well this individual didn't have the wherewithall to realise it wasn't actually to them from someone they knew. It was a charity plea and and said family had found them sobbing, distraught because they thought the fictional person blamed them. As well as feeling awful they couldn't remember the person writing to them who was seemingly a great friend, whose kids were friends from childhood as well and went through all these events with them.
I have seen all of those scenarios.
