Now that the winds of Hurricane Sandy and Wednesday’s nor’easter have subsided another disaster is likely to get underway soon. Prepare for waves of scam artists going door to door promising to repair property for a good price.
Hurricane Sandy Aftermath (Photo courtesy of Flight Dreamz 2012)
They especially like to pick on elderly and disabled people who have little help or just don’t want to bother their kids. The elderly will often turn to strangers because they want to prove that they still can manage their own affairs. Sometimes, they fear that an adult child might try to convince them to leave their home.
In any case, don’t let someone take advantage of your parent or elderly loved one. If your parent owns a home and you can’t immediately get there to it, ask a friend or neighbor you trust that lives closer to them to check for signs of damage at the home. With your parent’s permission, they might take pictures of items they believe needs repairs and send them to you.
You can then can help your parent’s find reputable contractor’s using rating services such as Angie’s List or Service Magic.com. Also remind your parents to beware of charity scams, which may involve people calling or visiting people in unaffected areas or states to collect money for storm victims. Remind your parent’s to never give anyone personal information of any kind over the phone or in person, especially if they did not contact organization.
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I'm a working wife and mom who takes care of an aging parent. Only I began doing it full-time, in my home, when I was in my mid-thirties, single and about to make a career change. Thirteen years later, mom is still living with me and I expect it to be that way until one of us leaves this earth. It hasn't always been easy managing her care. (I've helped my mother recover from surgery, and a major injury that required a nursing home stay, as well as the death of my younger brother after a long illness.) But caring for her has been worth it because I know that my assistance means she enjoys a better quality of life as she ages. I hope the experiences and information that I share will help you manage,with grace, the changes that take place in your life as you assume the responsibility of being your parent's caregiver. If you have a question you think I can answer, please contact me at Cynthia@motherskeeper.com
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