Most people are in need of someone in their lives who would just hear them out. This is more so for elderly people who are living independently. The volunteers from the CONTACT Cape-Atlantic Reassurance Program make sure that elderly people in the area don’t feel lonely or left out. It is a part of CONTACT USA that provides 24-hour service to elderly people living alone in USA.

Homebound elderly people often feel suffocated and suicidal without having anyone to talk to. Also, in case of a problem or emergency they may not know with whom they should talk to. The CONTACT Reassurance Program volunteers call their elderly clients at least once a day to find out how they are, whether they are in need of any kind of help, and just to lend a comforting voice to these lonely souls.

The Gatekeeper Program by CONTACT has also been designed to keep in touch with elderly people in a locality. Volunteers from the community are trained under this program to keep a tab on the health and well being of the elderly people they meet. In case of any problem, they can inform CONTACT for help.

Thus, CONTACT has made great progress in elderly care by helping seniors with independent living.

With more and more elderly people living alone or independently away from their children, the concern for their safety and health has become a major issue. Even after installing the most secure precautionary devices, the concern for their safety in case of an accident at home or a medical emergency is still not efficiently taken care of.

However, the Tunstall Emergency Response Service changes all that. Even though often mistaken for being just another phone for the elderly or for over-60s couples who live alone, the Tunstall Emergency Response Service entails much more!

It has a stationary unit with a red, illuminated alarm button, which can be pressed in case of an emergency. The resulting action is pretty reassuring to say the least. The operator responds to the emergency call and tries to establish contact with the one soliciting help through a powerful loudspeaker on the unit. Even if one does not respond, emergency help and notification of the incident is sent to two key-holders – family, colleagues or friends – as mentioned in the personal information dossier you have submitted to the service provider.

The unit may also respond automatically to other emergency situations such as a fire (as smoke detectors are installed within the unit). The mobile alarm button allows soliciting help even if you are in the garden or porch, within 50 meters of the unit, and cannot go back into the house.

The Tunstall Emergency Response Service is especially beneficial for over-60s age group, seniors and elderly people, for some of whom, dialing a number on the conventional phone during an emergency may seem a herculean task. And being priced at just 55p per day, it is surprisingly affordable to have this automated security system installed in your home!

Is the world a safe place for elderly women and seniors over 65? Not with guys like Jack Rhodes around – a man convicted on 13th October, 2009 for assaulting and mugging three defenseless aged women, one of whom was no less than a 101 years!

New York City is no stranger to burglaries, thefts and mugging. However, the case of Jack Rhodes stands out as an outright violation of the New York State Hate Crimes Act of 2000, that have been put in place to render harsher sentences for those assaulting elderly people, taking advantage of their age and loss of strength and agility.

Rhodes, who is no tipsy teenager himself, being 47, can get a sentence of up to 90 years in prison for charges that account for burglary, robbery and assault.

Morat, 101, was attacked and assaulted by Rhodes two years back. She was hit in the face and lost her walker, falling face down on the concrete pavement. Surveillance camera records proved it was Rhodes, and a background check by the police revealed more similar assaults on elderly women. Solange Elizee, 81 was attacked only about 30 minutes after the Morat mugging, and another aged woman, Angela Khan, then 51 had been hit and robbed by the same assailant a year back.

Commenting on Rhodes’ conviction, Richard Brown, the Queens’ District Attorney quipped, “The defendant’s propensity to savagely accost elderly and defenseless women, two of whom need the aide of a walker to get around, was rightly condemned by today’s guilty verdict”.

However, to avoid such incidents from happening over and over again, not only police surveillance, but easy-to-use mobile phones can also come in handy for elderly people, especially, to solicit help while or after being mugged or assaulted.

Aging parents are often difficult to take care of, especially, if the finances of your family are not in good shape. Statistics show that almost 30% of American adults care for their parents (including financial support), which on an average amounts to about $2,400 a year. At a time when the recession has dealt a hard blow on even the strongest of economies and job losses have become the order of the day, the average amount may well be out of reach for the average individual – forcing them to abandon financial assistance to their ailing or aged parents.

So, what do you do in these trying times? Do you go broke trying to fend off ill health from affecting your parents? NO! Here are some points you may consider to tackle the financial matters while caring for parents in a positive light:

• Discuss the Situation – Most parents will be ready to discuss their financial situation once they realize what’s plaguing you. Do not hasten. Carefully note down and analyze the existing finances, retirement plans, insurance covers, etc. that have been set up by your parents. If they do not have any, it is high time to initiate one.

• Try Long-Term Care Insurance – While this may not look beneficial at first glance, it is sure to help your parents get regular medical attention and professional care. Moreover, with a one-time investment in the policy, the financial worries will subdue for the destined period of care cover.

• Reverse Mortgage – Provided your parents are not already in debt or have not mortgaged the house, you can use it for a reverse mortgage policy. This way they will get a steady flow of money till they die or move out of the house (the latter should be discouraged at this age anyway).

• Government Policies and Grants – There are numerous health care and professional care giving policies and grants available for aging parents and older people in general. Try to find out what best suits your parents’ finances and go for it.

• Professional Care – Hiring a professional caregiver may be expensive, but if you have done your homework, you’ll find lots of cost-effective professional care giving solutions around you.

With these tips in mind, caring for parents would be easier – both emotionally and financially. However, make sure you have the right documents and legal rights in place to use your parents’ finances on their behalf in case they are disabled or fall ill.

Financial matters can be tricky, especially, in case of looking after aging parents. But with proper planning and a clear insight, caring for your parents won’t be as difficult as it seems.

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Further Reading

Aging Parents Authority has recently published an article on Stressed Out and Taking Care of Your Parents.

Kay Bell over at Don’t Mess With Taxes elaborates a little further with Aging parents, ageless money issues