I get it — elder abuse is a real problem. I guess I just start to get a little freaked out when I see article after article about the topic, with each article having a slightly different spin. Take this week on WSJ.com. First there’s the article (here) about cognitive impairment in older people, and how it may cause problems in financial dealings. Then there’s the article (“Unholy Matrimony”) about elderly people getting married secretly (i.e. without telling their children). What’s going on here?
I’m made a little uncomfortable by these articles. The explicit point seems to be “we shouldn’t let the elderly be abused” — and no one can argue with that. But the implication is that their children (the intended audience, I think) should be concerned because — hey, it’s your inheritances that are at stake! The “Unholy Matrimony” article starts like this:
It is difficult enough to entrust an elderly parent’s care to someone you hire. But what do you do when that worker secretly marries their charge—and claims a chunk of your inheritance?
So is the problem that my parent married someone who may or may not have been after them solely for their money? Or is it that the person they married now stands between me and my inheritance?
Similar Posts:
