WAEstate

As you may already know, the number of older Americans (defined as age 65 and older) has been increasing at a heretofore unseen pace in recent years. In fact, experts tell us that the number of Americans is projected to more than double from 46 million today to over 98 million by 2060, and the 65-and-older age group’s share of the total population will rise to nearly 24 percent from 15 percent. For the first time in recorded history, the older population in the U.S. will outnumber its younger counterpart (those age 21 and younger). The increase in older Americans [Read more…]

Sadly, seniors often make excellent victims for unscrupulous scam artists. To help protect our nation’s seniors, the United States Department of Justice has published a report entitled “Fighting Fraud – Senate Aging Committee Identified Top 10 Scams Targeting Our Nation’s Senior’s.” Below are summaries of those ten scams. IRS Impersonation Scam –While there are multiple variations of the IRS impersonation scam, criminals generally accuse victims of owing back taxes and penalties. They then threaten retaliation, such as home foreclosure, arrest, and in some cases, deportation, if immediate payment is not made by a certified check, credit card, electronic wire transfer, [Read more…]

As the population of older Americans continues to grow at a historic rate, issues that impact the elderly are now taking center stage in the American conscious. One of the most worrisome of those issues is the Alzheimer’s crisis. The prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease appears to be increasing right along with the increase in seniors in America. Whether you are nearing your “Golden Years” yourself, or you have a loved one who is, you undoubtedly want to know the latest on the Alzheimer’s crisis in America. What Is Alzheimer’s Disease? According to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA), Alzheimer’s disease [Read more…]

Anyone who has a parent, or other elderly loved one, in a nursing home is aware that nursing home abuse and neglect is a serious concern in the United States. As the population of older Americans continues to swell, the spotlight on nursing home abuse grows as well. One of the biggest problems with identifying nursing home abuse is that the administration often fears the sanctions and reprisals that follow the admission of a violation, frequently causing them to close ranks and operate under a veil of silence.  Consequently, workers are often scared to speak out when they observe abuse [Read more…]

As the number of older Americans (age 65 and older) continues to grow at an unprecedented rate, the issue of elder abuse and neglect also continues to make headline news across the country. Experts have long claimed that it is difficult to accurately gauge the prevalence of elder abuse because a significant percentage of the abuse is not reported by victims. A recently released government report, however, is also pointing the finger at hospitals and nursing homes for failing to report possible incidences of physical and sexual abuse. Moreover, the State of Illinois took the number one spot for unreported [Read more…]