Fulton Community Matters July 2015

Commun ty Matters Fulton Presbyterian Manor

New giving option now available

Your old vehicle could help “drive” the Good Samaritan Program at a Presbyterian Manor senior living community of your choice.

You can donate your car, truck, boat or other unneeded vehicle through PMMA’s new vehicle donation program. When you call the toll-free number, we’ll arrange to pick up the vehicle, even if it’s not running.You will need to provide your vehicle’s title with the vehicle. Its sale price is then tax deductible.You can consult IRS Publication 526 to help you figure its current value.

GIVING OPTION

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Donating your vehicle is a win/win. It becomes a tax deduction for you, and it helps support the Good Samaritan Program at Presbyterian Manor.

July 2015

School’s out for summer

Youngsters from the Fulton Preschool spent part of their last day of school before their summer vacation with Presbyterian Manor residents.

“We have been learning about music,” said teacher Sandy McDaniel. “We learned that a nice slow shake with our shaker eggs makes music, and shaking it fast just makes noise.”

The kids also learned that their voices could sound deep like a tuba or high like a flute. They sang several songs for us and with us. We all pitched in to help sing a verse of “You are My Sunshine” and “The Itsy Bitsy Spider.”

Their visits are always a bright spot in our day, and we are already looking forward to having them come back this fall.

Reeds Remember Time on the Road At ages 90 and 95, Jim and Evelyn Reed have seen many things in their lifetimes, especially during all the trips they’ve taken over the years.

“From 1955 to 1985 we traveled to California seven or eight times in our camper. It was just a small one that went on top of a truck bed. We had family there. We did a lot of things there, like go to Disneyland, the Rose Parade, Chinatown and Knott’s Berry Farm,” said Jim. “We’ve also been to Michigan, Niagara Falls, Florida, Seattle, oh, about half the states really.”

Jim did some traveling on his own well before their camper days. As a

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Community Matters is published monthly for residents and friends of Fulton Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at PresbyterianManors.org.

Dawn Smith, executive director Keri Edwards, marketing director To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact kedwards 2@pmma.org.

Telephone: 573-642-6646 Fax: 573-642-2202 Address: 811 Center St., Fulton, MO 65251-1922

Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.

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2 COMMUNITY MATTERS June 2015

Evelyn and Jim Reed fondly recall their traveling days.

child, he’d only ever traveled from St. Louis to Jefferson City, but at 18, he was drafted into the Army during WWII and went from Texas to Seattle, to San Francisco, and finally, Japan. “I got out on Oct. 3, 1945. It’ll be 70 years coming up.”

Of course, the kind of traveling Jim and Evelyn did was much more enjoyable.

“Just being in the car and going was my favorite part,” said Evelyn. “We went to The World’s Fair in 1962 in Seattle.

They’d just built the space needle, and we were one of the first ones to see it.”

As a prominent home builder in the area, Jim’s schedule was very busy, and he worked long hours. Jim and Evelyn credit travel with keeping their marriage strong during these hectic times.

“Traveling is important. It’s good to get away for a marriage,” said Evelyn.

Jim enjoyed several hobbies and talents, and they often required out-of-town trips to pursue. Evelyn enjoyed going along, and it gave them even more opportunities to bond.

“We enjoyed going to all the archery

tournaments. I had the equipment, but never shot in a tournament. Of course there were bowling tournaments, too. I enjoyed playing, but wasn’t an avid bowler,” said Evelyn.

In addition to archery and bowling, Jim also was an accomplished musician. He played with different country/western and Dixieland groups, and even played while in the Army.

Evelyn and Jim fondly recall their traveling days, with so many things to reminisce on.

“I loved meeting people along the way. I remember going to Las Vegas way back when it was old Vegas. Loretta Lynn was just starting out. We even got to meet Wayne Newton,” said Evelyn.

Jim is grateful for all the experiences they had, and especially grateful that they never encountered any significant problems on the road.

“No major problems happened. The line shaft went out a time or two, and we had to put new U-joint in, but we had no wrecks, breakdowns or accidents,” said Jim. “We were lucky I guess.”

What You Can Do to Curb Elder Financial Abuse

By Richard Eisenberg for Next Avenue

There’s no way to guarantee your aging parents won’t fall victim to elder financial abuse, but there is one thing you can do to help cut the odds: Be sure they’re discussing their finances with someone they (and you) can trust.

Frank discussions about money are especially important as we age,White noted. “Our financial decision-making capabilities start to diminish,” he said.

White discovered this firsthand. He told

That’s the upshot of the recent Allianz Life study, Safeguarding Our Seniors.When surveying 1,223 people who were 65 and older, Allianz found that only 8 percent of those who said they were victims of elder abuse also said they were “currently discussing their finances with another person.”

in five Americans over 65 has been victimized by a financial fraud. MetLife has said that financial exploitation costs seniors at least $2.9 billion annually.

Sadly, as I recently learned during my interview with T.S. Laham, author of the new book,The Con Game: A Failure of Trust, sometimes family members are culprits, stealing from relatives. Quinn told the Senate that 90 percent of reported elder financial abuse cases involve a family member.

What You Should Do

The Need to Talk About Money You should bring in trusted family member,s friends or financial advisers and let them know your financial situation.

And those who talk to “third-party resources” about their finances felt better equipped to identify and prevent elder financial abuse.

While 93 to 94 percent of survey respondents who talk about their finances with a hired professional or friends and family said they never sign documents they don’t completely understand, only 82 percent who handle their money alone said that.

Allianz Life President and CEO Walter White, told me he was somewhat surprised how few people 65+ are discussing their finances with anyone who could help them avoid becoming elder abuse victims – family members, friends or financial advisers. Only 24 percent are doing so regularly.

One possible cause of elder abuse: senior loneliness. “One reason older people are vulnerable is they don’t have as much social contact as younger people,” said White. So when someone reaches out in what seems like a friendly way, the recipient can subsequently let down his or her guard and let a con artist gain financial access.

me his mother had been “meticulous with the family finances, almost to the point of it being too much – she kept every record.” But as his mother grew older, “her abilities started to diminish.

Bills went unpaid and she couldn’t recall where all her investments were.”

Huge Potential for Abuse

And because an elderly person’s finances can be quite complex, this is an area with great potential for abuse, said White.

We’re not talking pennies, either. In an earlier study, Allianz estimated that elder fraud victims have lost an average of $30,000 and more than 10 percent lost $100,000 or more.

Kathleen Quinn, Executive Director of the National Adult Protective Services Association recently told a Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing that elder financial abuse is “rampant, largely invisible, expensive and lethal.”

The 2010 Investor Protection Trust Elder Fraud Survey estimated that one

That’s why White recommends bringing in more than one trusted family member, as well as a money pro such as an financial adviser, accountant or an attorney.

One adult child could, for instance, take responsibility each month for reviewing a parent’s checkbook and credit card statements. Another could meet quarterly with the parent and his or her financial adviser and annually with the tax preparer.

I’m heartened to see that FINRA — the financial services industry’s selfregulatory group — launched a toll-free Securities Helpline for Seniors (844-574-3577, staffed weekdays), to provide older investors with a supportive place for assistance about concerns they have with their brokerage accounts and investments.

A Problem That Will Only Grow

And it’s good to see, as Financial Planning’s Miriam Rozen just wrote, that more states are passing laws to protect their elderly residents and that the Securities and Exchange Commission’s first Office of the Investor Advocate is making elder abuse a priority.

Copyright© 2014 Next Avenue, a division of Twin Cities Public Television, Inc.

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Coming up in Community Matters:

In an upcoming Community Matters, we’ll be focusing on senior safety, fall prevention and Grandparents’ Day. How do you keep your balance? What have you found to be most helpful in aging strong and avoiding injuries as you age? What’s your favorite thing about being a grandparent or great-grandparent? What wisdom do you want to pass along to the next generation? If you’d like to share your thoughts or memories, contact Keri Edwards to share your idea.Your story may be selected for the next issue of your community newsletter.

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GIVING OPTION continued on from page 1

To make your vehicle donation or for more information, call toll free, seven days a week, at 844-490-GIVE (4483), or go to FultonPresbManor-CarDonations.org and choose “Donate Now” to access the online form.

Vehicles need to be intact and in towable condition. Exceptions to the program are vehicles whose value would not offset the cost of towing.

The PMMA Good Samaritan Program provides financial assistance to residents at any of the 18 communities, who exhaust their funds through no fault of their own. Thank you for considering a gift to help our residents who have a financial need.

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