Thieves and scammers are on the prowl for easy targets who have significant exposed assets—and if you're a senior citizen who saved for retirement, you may be the perfect mark. Fran Tarkenton, the NFL Hall of Fame quarterback who became a succesful entrepreneur, has partnered with certified public accountant and financial executive Rick Gossett to present this practical, up-to-date guide to scam-proofing your savings during your golden years. Safe & Secure will give you ten specific actions steps that will turn you from an “easy” target into a “hard” target. A well-prepared senior who understands the potential for financial abuse and has taken the precautions recommended in this book is more than likely to remain safe and secure through a long and comfortable retirement. “As our country gracefully ages, we need to make sure to do all we can to protect the elderly—from their health, to their mind, to their finances. Once again, a man we all trust and respect has stepped forward and answered the call. With his simple and effective ways of explaining important concepts, legend Fran Tarkenton is doing his part to keep the elderly safe, drawing on his successful career both on and off the football field.” —SANJAY GUPTA, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at Emory University and CNN Chief Medical Correspondent “From helping us all recognize that we’re potential targets to providing easily comprehensible and implementable solutions, Fran Tarkenton and Rick Gossett have provided an extremely invaluable and indispensable resource. Elder nancial abuse will remain a major concern as our population ages. The tools presented here can help everyone be prepared and less likely to be a victim.” —THOMAS E. PRICE, MD, former Secretary of Health and Human Services and former member of US House of Representatives

Practical Advice for Taking Care of Loved Ones as They Get Older The rapid aging of the American population and its accompanying epidemic of dementia and Alzheimer's disease has brought about an awareness of the increasing vulnerability of our elders. Taking care of our parents and protecting them from exploitation and abuse at the hands of others can evolve into a virtual full-time occupation, especially among today’s baby boomers. The Family Guide to Preventing Elder Abuse provides a practical manual to help prepare the reader for the challenges that arise as our parents begin to lose their independence. In each chapter of this guide, a nationally recognized expert provides specific advice regarding effective actions that can be taken in order to protect loved ones in every area of their lives. They offer practical answers to such questions as: What qualities should you look for in a caretaker? What are the pros and cons of trusts and guardianships? Who do you go to if you suspect abuse of any kind? How do you best protect your own rights so that you can preserve the rights of your loved one? What should you know about dealing with hospital staff when it comes to making end-of-life decisions? The Family Guide to Preventing Elder Abuse addresses every personal, medical, financial, and legal consideration that may arise for adult children of a senior citizen.

By recounting actual court cases, this book examines the multi-billion-dollar elder fraud industry, the special vulnerabilities of those it targets, and the ease and frequency with which it obtains hundreds of thousands of dollars per victim. It also reveals successful strategies for combating that industry and the important contributions to that effort by concerned bankers, doctors, reporters and others in the private sector. The cases reveal an increasingly sophisticated global industry that targets each victim with a series of repeat "hits." This tactic--criminals call it "reloading"--sets the elder fraud industry apart from groups that defraud younger individuals. Twelve key age-related fraud vulnerabilities are illustrated in the cases. So, too, are the scammers' skills in mapping their target's unique combination of vulnerabilities and then tailoring their narratives to exploit each one. Most of the cases highlight actual victims, scam artists or fraud fighters. Their individual stories range from inspiring and sometimes comical to frustrating and deeply disturbing. Readers with aging parents, law enforcement officials, medical professionals, members of the financial industry and others who work with older adults will find it particularly useful.

Written by nationally-known elder law practitioners, Robert B. Fleming and Lisa Nachmias Davis, the Elder Law Answer Book gathers the most current legal, regulatory, and practice guidelines from the core topics of elder law, long-term care, estate planning, retirement planning, healthcare decision making, and rights of the elderly -- and presents this information in a thoroughly integrated, easy-access reference. The all-new Third Edition of Elder Law Answer Book helps you render sound advice and give reliable guidance on: Medicaid and Long-Term Care Planning Estate Planning Probate and Trust Administration Special Needs Trusts Medicare And More! Only Elder Law Answer Book delivers and‘How-toand’ explanations of the guiding rule or regulation, along with current citations to the relevant cases and statutesand—including the Deficit Reduction Act Expert legal analysis of the special rules and how they typically apply Detailed information about each of the disparate, but frequently related, aspects of elder law practiceand—age discrimination, nursing home rights, Medicaid and other public benefits programs, as well as traditional estate planning and administration Real-world practice examples that help you implement the applicable rules or guidelines in a wide variety of situations Extensive cross-references to related topicsand—for fast and easy research Index and at-a-glance list of questions that help you zero in on the exact information you are looking for

"This guide is for seniors, their family members, care-givers, friends, and anyone else who may find it useful. It is not meant to include everything but tries to answer some common concerns when it comes to seniors' safety and security. The goal is to raise awareness of seniors' safety issues to improve their quality of life. The information in this guide can also be used to help people and their loved ones discuss this topic to help recognize a potential crime situation and show how to reduce or remove the risk"--Page 2.