Lost in the System! 89 year old discovers she is $20,000 poorer.
Lost in the System! 89 year old discovers she is $20,000 poorer.
Sounds like a headline in the National Inquirer, doesn’t it? Unfortunately it’s a true story that takes place right here in Central New York.
Mary has decided to sell her home of 40 years and move into an apartment that is more manageable for her. No more yard work, no snow shoveling, no furnace to check or fuses to replace. A bit less isolation. Maybe some leftover energy at the day’s end. Where does she turn for help in an overwhelming transition when she has outlived all of her family and friends?
Enter CNY Elderplanning — Central New York’s first private geriatric care management firm. Mary was referred to CNY Elderplanning by her physician who felt that she needed some extra structure and attention in a life that was becoming more and more challenging. When geriatric care manager Kate McGahan assessed her, she not only uncovered a lot of unmet needs, she uncovered an array of unnecessary expenses incurred by her elderly client. She found that Mary was continuing to pay on her television picture tube warranty — $39.95 per year since l989. Over $300 of unneccesary expense! As the move from home to apartment took place and bills were reorganized, the telephone bill was examined in a bit more detail. $23.00 each quarter ($92/year) to pay for the rental of two rotary dial phones since l982 for a grand total of $1380! Mary didn’t know she could buy her own phone at the local drugstore for a one-time cost of $10. Mary just did what she’s always done.
Kate wondered if Mary had applied for her senior citizen property tax exemption which she qualified for at age 60 (30 years ago). “No” was the response– “why bother with that now?”. The fact is that Mary would have saved approximately $30,000 over the course of those years! This is the same lady who goes to the grocery and buys the older donuts to save herself 20 cents.
Mary is on a fixed income of about $1000/month. She is a real person. We don’t call her by her real name due to the confidential nature of the care management profession. She is the lady next door; she is your parent who is resistant to change; she is any number of older people who are taken advantage of every day by a system they don’t think of questioning.
Kate stresses the importance of learning from Mary. Review your budget–with your family or with a professional–with someone who can act as a consumer advocate on your behalf. Many unnecessary dollars are being spent by people who cut out coupons just to make ends meet. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. The “Depression Mentality” is a powerful one, but we aren’t in a Depression any more and there are services designed to help people on fixed incomes! Keep an open mind. Find out what resources are available. Keep up to date by reading PRIME, subscribing to AARP, reading the politician’s “junk mail”. Many took the time to let us know about the STAR plan which reduces school taxes for senior. Contact the Office for the Aging, the Volunteer Helpline, your local senior center or a private geriatric care manager. Don’t let what happened to Mary happen to you too.
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