This is a project about learning strategies to prevent elder abuses (including financial abuses) by those named in seniors’ Power of Attorney documents who are legally called “Substitute Decision Makers” (SDMs). This virtual project will help older adults and their families to be more aware and mindful of POA abuses and how important their POA choices are to their futures, once they lose capacity. This project will demonstrate how POA elder abuses can be prevented thus supporting continued engagement in society, inclusion and healthy aging.
There is a need for this project because appointing someone in your POA document is one of the most important decisions as we age. Appointing the wrong person or people has the potential for huge elder abuses, especially finance abuses. For example: Who gets appointed? Who gets control over your care and finances? Who to trust? Who not to trust? What is their job as your substitute decision maker? Do they get greedy? Do they feel entitled? Are they transparent with your finances? Do they keep good records of spending? Will they lie and steel from you? Will they yell and scream at you? Will they threaten, intimidate or hit you? Are family members the best, most honest people to trust? What happens when there is family distrust and conflict? Do families break apart forever? Who wins? Do you get abused?
These are all life changing questions and decisions that directly affect healthy aging and continued engagement with society. Elder abuses by those named in our POA (Power of Attorney) documents is growing. Seniors need to know the risks, make sound decisions and be aware that they are potential elder abuse victims by the very people that they named in the POA documents to protect and take care of their health and finances. Once you lose capacity, your life is literally in the hands of those you have appointed. This virtual project is about bringing awareness to this very important topic with a series of digital events. We hope you enjoy this project.
We wish to thank the New Horizons for Seniors program for funding this project.
We are grateful for the support of
