7 Tips to Help Older Adults Choose the Right Caregiver

According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, almost 90 percent of the financial abuse committed against older Americans are at the hands of someone they know. Here are seven tips to help older Americans choose the right financial caregiver and prevent elder financial abuse:

1. Delegate someone you trust to make financial decisions. If you are unable to facilitate financial transactions, carefully choose a trustworthy person to act as your agent in all financial matters.
2. Consider someone who is comfortable handling a lot of details and is efficient in meeting deadlines.
3. Choose someone who can communicate well with numerous groups of people, such as financial professionals and family members.
4. It’s best to find someone who you know is in good health and can support you. A person who is struggling to maintain his/her own health or suffers from known addictions is not an optimal choice.
5. Patience is a key trait to look for in a caregiver. The person needs to be capable of handling multiple requests and comfortable with potentially stressful situations.
6. Reliability is incredibly important. You need someone you can count on no matter the situation. Will the person be able to show up when you need him/her to address an issue or handle a task?
7. An attentive person is required for this role. You need someone who pays attention to your needs and can evaluate your situation to help support your decisions.