Carmel, CA There Are Things You Can Do To Stave Off Alzheimer’s & Dementia

Two people sitting on a couch watching television.


A new study which was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society followed 18,000 older adults and found that those that regularly used the Internet had about half the risk of developing dementia compared with those who didn’t regularly use the web.  Other studies have shown better cognitive performance, verbal reasoning and memory among Internet users.  Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and my grandmother had Alzheimer’s disease when they passed away.  If you need support, there are a great group of people at the Ryan Ranch Alzheimer’s Association.  They also have a 24-hour hotline if you just want someone to talk to at 800-272-3900.

Monterey, CA Elder Abuse Abounds

A woman with grey hair sitting in a chair.


Financial elder abuse continues to proliferate, especially in wealthy pockets of the country like Monterey County, Carmel, Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach.  This despite the expansion of the Department of Justices Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force, which had been limited to six regional offices until late last year when they went to 20.  Federal prosecutors in those offices are dedicating additional resources to stop fraud against older people, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton told AARP Bulletin.  A report from the AARP found that the rate of financial exploitation of older Americans more than doubled since the COVID-19 pandemic began.  “This kind of behavior is just despicable,†U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in an interview with AARP.  “The [DOJ’s] Civil Division is doing everything to fight against it.â€

Pacific Grove, CA IRS Warns Of New Tax Refund Scam


There are always a number of scams targeting seniors and the general population and those in wealthy areas of Monterey County like Carmel, Pacific Grove and Pebble beach are always ripe targets.  The current scam goes like this.  A cardboard envelope shows up from a delivery service with a letter inside using IRS masthead telling you to contact them about your unclaimed refund.  The scammers ask that you take a  copy of your drivers license that clearly displays all four angles, and the photos are taken in a place with good lighting.  They also ask for your cellphone number, bank routing information, Social Security number and additional bank details.  Don’t fall for this!

Homeless Senior Population Growing

A close up of an old person holding someone 's hands


The number of homeless seniors is growing at an alarming rate, according to a report by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Officer of the Inspector General.  Americans over the age of 55 years old who are homeless were counted at 580K, 18% of the total.  “There’s been a trend over the last several years where we’re seeing many more older adults,†who are homeless, Richard Cho, HUD’s senior advisor for housing and services, told AARP Bulletin.  From 2000 through 2017, the number of people 62 years and older who are homeless has doubled, he noted.  For the full report, go to www.aarp.org/homelessafter50

Pebble Beach, CA Elder Abuse Abounds

A woman holding her hands over the shoulder of another person.


Financial elder abuse continues to proliferate, especially in wealthy pockets of the country like Monterey County, Carmel, Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach.  This despite the expansion of the Department of Justices Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force, which had been limited to six regional offices until late last year when they went to 20.  Federal prosecutors in those offices are dedicating additional resources to stop fraud against older people, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton told AARP Bulletin.  A report from the AARP found that the rate of financial exploitation of older Americans more than doubled since the COVID-19 pandemic began.  “This kind of behavior is just despicable,†U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in an interview with AARP.  “The [DOJ’s] Civil Division is doing everything to fight against it.â€

Seaside, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Certified Nursing Assistant CNA or HHA Designation A Plus $2 An Hour Extra On The Weekends

A woman holding her hands over the shoulder of another person.


Seaside, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Certified Nursing Assistant CNA or HHA Designation A Plus (Also Aromas, Big Sur, Carmel-by-the-sea, Carmel, Carmel Valley, Castroville, Corral-de-Tierra, Del Rey Oaks, Gonzalez, Greenfield, King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Seaside, Soledad and Watsonville

We have developed a reputation for having the best caregivers (Home Care Aides or Senior Companions) in Monterey County.   We are currently looking for qualified caregivers.

Family inHome Caregiving of Monterey is seeking compassionate, mature and dependable caregivers who want to improve the lives of our elderly Clients by providing in-home, non-medical care.  Our services include:

Caring companionship

Meal preparation

Incidental transportation

Running errands

Light housekeeping

Medication reminders

Monitoring of safety while bathing

Information and referral services

Other services that improve the safety, security and quality of life of seniors.

If you believe you would make an exceptional Home Care Aide, we would love to hear from you!  We prefer those with experience helping the elderly, disabled and others with mobility problems.  Having cared for those with dementia and/or Alzheimer’s is a plus.  To work for us, you must have excellent references, a clear criminal record, a good driving record, and an insured reliable vehicle.  To apply, please visit our website www.fhcofm.com, click on home care aides, then careers where you can fill out an application online.  We have immediate openings all over Monterey County.

Pebble Beach, CA Elder Abuse Alert, Beware Of Fraudsters Asking You To Use CashApp, Venmo Or Zelle

An old woman with a bruised eye and hand on her face.


AARP has been great about tracking the latest scams tracking senior citizens, but a surprising number of people continue to fall for scams, mostly pitched over the phone.  First, I have a practice of using caller ID and won’t pick up the phone if I don’t recognize the caller.  This can screen out a lot of the potential scammers.  AARP says that historically fraud operators have tried to get your money in one of four ways—gift cards, wire transfers, cyber currency or cash.  These are all untraceable once you send them.  However, AARP says a fifth form of payment is on the rise, peer-to-peer (P2P) money transfer services like CashApp, Venmo or Zelle.  Beware of anyone asking you to send money using these apps.

Few Taking Advantage Of Free Lung Cancer Screening

A woman with glasses and a tie dye shirt smoking.


According to a study by Kaiser Permanente Colorado Institute for Health Research, only 5.8% of those eligible for a free lung cancer screening are getting them.  Many people believe that because they quite smoking many years ago that they are not at risk of getting lung cancer.  However that may not be true.  Lung cancer remains the deadliest cancer in the United States, killing about 130K Americans each year.  About 60% are caught after the tumor has spread beyond the lung and is past the point of being cured.  The five year survival rate for lung cancer is only 25% so please take advantage of this free screening!

Beware Of Fake Telehealth Companies

A person holding a stethoscope in front of a laptop.


A flurry of start-ups have been advertising on Facebook, Instagram and Tik-Tok touting medications which are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the purpose the advertisement is pushing.  For instance, the Wall Street Journal reported that start-up Home Health ran an ad with a middle-aged man holding a dumbbell and saying testosterone “literally changed my life†restoring his energy and happiness.  The problem is, the man is an actor who has never used the drug and the ad doesn’t mention that testosterone is only approved by the FDA for treating specific disorders and carries with it the risk of heart attacks and stroke.  Beware of these ads,  they have increased significantly since the pandemic began.

Pebble Beach, CA IRS Warns Of New Tax Refund Scam


There are always a number of scams targeting seniors and the general population and those in wealthy areas of Monterey County like Carmel, Pacific Grove and Pebble beach are always ripe targets.  The current scam goes like this.  A cardboard envelope shows up from a delivery service with a letter inside using IRS masthead telling you to contact them about your unclaimed refund.  The scammers ask that you take a  copy of your drivers license that clearly displays all four angles, and the photos are taken in a place with good lighting.  They also ask for your cellphone number, bank routing information, Social Security number and additional bank details.  Don’t fall for this!