The recent disappearance of Nancy Guthrie from her home in Catalina Foothills, Arizona, has highlighted the difficult balancing act many families face: older adults’ strong desire to remain in their own homes and their adult children’s equally strong desire to keep those older adults safe. While cases like this are rare, they underscore a broader reality: older adults living on their own can be more susceptible to scams, fraud, and delayed assistance if something goes wrong.
For many older adults, staying at home is about far more than convenience. However, for their children, safety risks, especially when a frightening event makes headlines, can be impossible to ignore.
Why Older Adults Want to Age in Place
Most seniors say they want to “age in place,” or remain in their own homes and communities as they grow older.
Home represents independence. After decades of making their own decisions, managing households, and raising families, many older adults are reluctant to give up control over their daily routines. Moving to a facility or even to their adult child’s home can feel like a loss of autonomy.
Home is also filled with memories. The house where someone raised children, celebrated holidays, or cared for a spouse can carry deep emotional meaning. Leaving it can feel like losing part of one’s identity.
In addition, familiarity supports well-being. Knowing where everything is, recognizing neighbors, and being comfortable in a long-standing community can reduce stress and anxiety. Many older adults value their community connections, such as friends, faith communities, local shops, and doctors. Staying put allows them to maintain those social ties. For people experiencing mild cognitive changes, familiar surroundings can be especially important.
Cost is often an important factor as well. Assisted living and other long-term care settings can be expensive. Remaining at home, especially if the mortgage is paid off, may feel like the more financially sustainable choice.
Why Adult Children Worry About Their Parents
While older adults may be focused on the positives of staying in their homes, their adult children often see risks their parents may downplay.
- Safety is a primary concern
- Falls are another major concern
- Medical emergencies also weigh heavily on families
- Isolation is another issue
- Cognitive changes can further complicate matters
When these concerns are combined with a frightening news story, it can intensify family discussions about whether an older adult should continue living independently.
Ways to Make a Home Safer and Ease Family Concerns
Fortunately, aging in place and safety are not mutually exclusive. Many practical steps can reduce risks and provide reassurance to concerned family members. In addition to reducing fall hazards throughout the home to make it a safer environment for aging loved ones, consider some other proactive measures.
- Install security features
- Use medical alert systems
- Simplify the layout
- Address medication management
- Stay socially connected
- Establish a check-in protocol
- Vet and monitor in-home help
- Connect with local law enforcement or community programs
- Protect personal and home security information
- Plan for emergencies
Protecting Older Adults From Scams and Fraud
Financial scams are one of the fastest-growing threats to keeping older adults safe. Criminals often target seniors because they may have substantial savings, own their homes, and tend to be trusting. However, families can take practical steps to reduce risk.
Encourage skepticism about unsolicited calls, emails, and text messages. Older adults should never provide personal information, Social Security numbers, bank account details, or Medicare numbers to unexpected contacts.
Set up call-blocking services and register phone numbers with the National Do Not Call Registry. Though this will not stop all scams, it can reduce unwanted solicitations.
Review bank and credit card statements regularly. Consider setting up account alerts that notify a trusted family member of large or unusual transactions.
Freeze credit reports with the major credit bureaus to prevent fraudulent new accounts from being opened.
Talk openly about common scams, including impersonation scams (where someone pretends to be a government official or relative in distress), tech support scams, and romance scams. Ongoing conversations help reduce embarrassment and make it more likely that an older adult will report suspicious activity.
Consider adding a trusted person to financial accounts. Many banks and investment firms allow customers to name someone the institution can contact if financial exploitation is suspected.
Above all, create an environment where older adults feel comfortable asking, “Does this seem legitimate to you?” without fear of losing their independence.
How and Elder Attorney Can Help Keep Older Adults Safe
An experienced elder law attorney can help guide families in putting together some legal safeguards to help keep older adults safe. This can include preparing a power of attorney to give a trusted person a second “set of keys” to the finances of the older adults to help manage and protect. It may also include protecting assets through a trust and helping obtain home care Medicaid benefits, so that someone is at home assisting with the older adult’s needs.
The desire to remain at home is deeply human. So is the instinct to protect a loved one. With thoughtful planning, honest communication, and practical home modifications, many families can find a middle ground of supporting independence while reducing risk. Contact the elder law attorneys at Kurre Schneps to discuss how we can help put thoughtful planning in place.
