Category Archives: Health & Safety

Avoiding Telephone Scams

It seems like every other week there are reports from the Hingham police or Massachusetts attorney general about telephone scams targeting seniors. While it is impossible to keep track of all of the variations, there are some themes that should make you suspicious.  These warning signs can also be applied to email scams.

  • Beware of a company that calls you and then asks for your date of birth, address or social security number before they can give you “important information.” If they claim to be calling from a bank or financial institution that you do business with, hang up and call them back using a telephone number from a statement or card that you have, not a number they have given you.
  • Beware of a caller from a company trying to make you give credit card information over the phone or asking for a Personal Identification Number (PIN.)
  • Beware of calls from people claiming to be relatives who are in trouble and need to you wire money. They may claim to be a grandchild and beg you not to tell their parents.
  • Beware of callers who are trying to rush you and claiming that bad consequences will arise from any delay.

If you do receive calls like this you should contact the police in your town to report it.  If you worry that a legitimate company may need information or payment from you, call them on your own. And if someone claiming to be a relative needs you to wire money due to some out-of-country emergency, always double check with someone else in the family.

This link to the Massachusetts Attorney General has more information on the various kinds of scams and ways to avoid them: Scams and Identity Theft.

Staying Healthy (and Keeping Others Healthy) When Visiting Nursing Homes or Hospitals

It’s almost winter, which means colder days, preparing for snow and an increased risk of colds and other illnesses.  While most of us can recover after a couple days of rest, common illnesses can take a toll on the elderly and infirm.  Illnesses can spread rapidly throughout a patient population even in the best and… Continue Reading

Traveling Without The Kids This Summer?

Are you taking a vacation without your children this summer, even a weekend away? Make sure you have the proper documents in place so that whoever is caring for your children has the authority to obtain medical care for them in an emergency. Also, make sure that you leave detailed instructions about their medical history,… Continue Reading

Driving and Aging

Jessica Foley, an attorney in Quincy, has a recent post about driving when your mobility is impaired.  While there are sometimes when physical issues that make driving unsafe, there are many times when you can still drive even though you have difficulty getting around.  Jessica lists the criteria for obtaining a handicap placard, which can… Continue Reading

Driving While Elderly

There has been a lot of talk in the local media about elderly drivers lately, and a push to require more frequent testing and stringent standards.  Whether you are an older driver concerned about your eyesight or coordination, or a caregiver becoming more nervous about a loved one’s driving ability – remember that all drivers,… Continue Reading