Getting older can come with a lot of different challenges. Many people find that their mobility decreases and their bodies get weaker. Others find themselves getting lonely.
Friends and relatives die and struggle with their own issues, and society isn’t built for those who have retired.
No matter what happens to someone when they get old, they will always have their children to help them, right?
Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case, and it’s common for elderly relatives to be exploited.
Being in this situation can be horrible, especially when a sibling is taking advantage of your parents.
To make this easier to understand, this article will be exploring the issues that come with taking advantage of mom or dad. We will also look at some of the best ways to resolve a situation like this.
Why Do People Take Advantage Of Elderly Parents?
It can be very difficult to understand why someone would take advantage of someone they love. Unfortunately, this sort of issue is far more common than many people realize.
This is because people will usually trick themselves into believing that what they are doing isn’t wrong. And some will even be completely ignorant to the fact that they are taking advantage of someone.
You can find some of the main reasons that people will take advantage of someone they love, though it would be wrong to say that there aren’t other reasons.
Financial Gain
Money is the main reason that people end up taking advantage of their loved ones. Your sibling may want money immediately or they may want to improve their future financial resources.
Parents can be an easy source for this when they care about their children, and some will take advantage.
Dependency/Laziness
While most people are able to settle into adult life, some people find themselves relying on their parents for many years after this point. Dependency like this can be dangerous.
Parents can end up spending a small fortune over the years without noticing how much they’re giving away. As time goes on, this will only get harder to overcome.
General Entitlement
Feeling entitled to something can be a very powerful emotion when it isn’t dealt with. Siblings often get into arguments about what they’ve received from parents.
This can lead to the exploitation of elderly moms and dads as they try to keep their children happy.
How Do People Take Advantage Of Elderly Parents?
Having an understanding of why someone might take advantage of elderly parents is only the first step to solving this problem. Alongside this, it also makes sense to have an understanding of the methods people will use to exploit others.
It’s important to keep in mind that your sibling is likely to view their actions as innocent, even if they are working to take advantage of someone.
Playing The Sympathy Card
Sympathy is an easy way to take advantage of someone that cares about you. This is something that a lot of people do when they want to get something out of their parents.
This will usually involve asking for money or support in the form of a loan when they are desperate. But there will be no actual intention of paying the money back once they are on their feet again.
Lying and Stealing
Theft is a very common issue for the elderly, with many parents trusting their children.
Theft like this can take place on many levels, from taking money from a parent’s purse or wallet to forging checks in their name. Stealing usually comes with lies, making this type of exploitation particularly bad.
Using Medical Conditions
With around 40% of 65+ Americans having an age-related memory condition, you can see how a medical condition can lead to exploitation.
It can be all too easy to exploit hearing problems, with some adult children working hard to use their parent’s memory loss as a way to take advantage of them.
Of course, though, other medical conditions can also be used like this.
Using Legal Authority
Mobility issues, technophobia, and trust in their children push parents to give power of attorney to their kids. This can give your sibling access to your parent’s finances and assets.
While usually innocent, this issue can spiral out of control and cost your parents a fortune.
As you can see, there are a lot of different ways that your sibling could take advantage of your parents.
Figuring out what to do when someone is taking advantage of an elderly person can be very difficult. But it can also be very hard to spot the signs of something like this in the first place, making it extra challenging.
The Impact Of Elderly Exploitation
Having an idea of the impact that elderly exploitation can have will be crucial if you are going to spot it early. Elderly people are often going through a transitional period in their lives.
This can hide the signs of exploitation, making it crucial that you are observant. It’s all too easy to miss this and consider it a normal part of life.
Poor Finances
Most won’t have a good idea of the financial situation of their parents, though big changes can be noticeable.
