Q: My 80-year-old neighbor got a phone call saying he had to mail in $12,375 in back taxes to the IRS or his bank account would be frozen. It upset him so much (he believed it) he developed chest pains and had to go to the ER. How can older folks protect themselves from such dangerous scams? - Dorothy G., Evanston, Illinois
A: Such scams are common, and they're not just financially dangerous! The editor of Public Policy & Aging Report put it succinctly: Elder financial abuse "... damages health, harms wellbeing and arguably costs lives."
Unfortunately, scam artists know that the elderly (with hard-earned savings) often have cognitive issues and may be easily scared. So here's how to help your older friends and family members counter scams.
-Tell them about scams to watch out for in addition to the IRS scam: Calls from supposed grandkids asking for money to be wired to them for an emergency ("Don't tell Mom!"); home health-care workers who ask for "loans"; a call, allegedly from Medicare, asking for personal data; solicitation to donate to any organization (for legit organizations, they can give later through the mail).
-Tell them to say nothing and ask for a call-back number if anyone calls demanding payment or says they're from any government agency. They may not get one, a big clue that it's fake. Then call a legitimate number at the named organization (the local IRS office, for example) and ask if they know anything about such calls.
-Have them sign up for the Do Not Call List at 888-382-1222. But even they have reported that scammers have been calling folks claiming to be from the National Do Not Call Registry!
-Let them know some banks are starting programs with names like The Elder Client Initiative, and AARP has an AGE-Friendly Banking Initiative designed to help protect an older person from being scammed.
-Tell them to lock up their checkbook and other valuables, including sensitive information, when others will be in the home.
-And encourage them to keep their brain sharp with social interaction, new learning, a diet filled with fresh produce and lean protein, and a daily exercise/walking routine. That's no scam!
Q: I'm confused about what vaccinations I should get now that I'm 65. Plus, there are new recommendations! Can you clarify? - Katie J., Sioux Falls, South Dakota
A: Here's the latest on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's updated recommendations for adult inoculations. Changes from last year include:
-For adults 65-plus with a healthy immune system, there are two pneumonia vaccines, a 13-valent vaccine and a 23-valent one. The recommended interval between the two is now at least 12 months. But folks with a compromised immune system and certain other conditions should receive the 23-valent vaccine at least eight weeks after the 13-valent version.
-Men up to age 21 and women up to age 26 should now get the HPV nine-valent vaccine. It's the most effective inoculation against some cancers of the throat, cervix, vulva and vagina - and might soon be recommended for older adults, too.
-Anyone 10 or older who lives in an area where there's been an outbreak of meningitis B or who suffers from persistent complement component deficiency should get the MenB vaccine.
There also are important guidelines for other vaccines and booster shots that adults should get.
-td/Tdap: To protect you from tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough) get a booster every 10 years. Women should get a Tdap vaccine during every pregnancy to help protect the health of the fetus.
-At age 50 get the shingles vaccine, even if you have had shingles before. (We recommend this, but you'll probably have to pay for it yourself if you don't wait until 60, the officially recommended age.)
-Need a first-time vaccine for chickenpox (varicella), MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), Tdap, hepatitis A and hepatitis B? Get them now.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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