Sonja Kobrin

It is a sad fact that most people who financially exploit the elderly get away with it. They often find it so easy that they do it time and time again. Each time the Exploiter becomes more and more bold. They act as though they are entitled to this money and no one else deserves it.

When your elderly parents live far away, who will be your eyes and ears? Who will educate you about the confusing elder care system? Younger folks have never had to learn about Medicaid, Medicare, Long Term Care Insurance, etc. More foreign yet is the unspoken politics of doctors, hospitals, nursing homes and home health care companies.

It always makes me sad to hear the families of an elder say “Mom made me promise to never put her in a nursing home”. That is simply a promise that most families today cannot keep. If a caring son or daughter finds that they have to break that promise, they may feel guilty for the rest of their lives.

Ask an elderly Veteran if they are aware they may be eligible for a pension from the Veteran’s Administration and they will tell you “I’m not eligible because I was not injured in the War.” This is a common misconception which keeps many Veterans from tapping into a benefit they well earned by serving our country.