My mother who is 79 and gets quite confused at the best of times, recently visited Boots Opticians for an eye test which is free.  However, she was recommended to have one of the new revolutionary tests that are available for an additional £10. My mother thought that she had to have it then they said it would cost her £10.  She thought it was for glaucoma and could not understand why she had to pay, it wasn't until I phoned Boots and they explained what the £10 was.  I advised them that they were taking advantage of vulnerable elderly people and that they should have time to consult with their family.  A similar thing happened with the bank where she was advised to open an account and pay £15 p/m and she would get AA cover, she does not drive plus other benefits which were of no use to her.

Is there anyone out there or anyway to protect out older people.

 

Thanks 

Hi Dee_light

   While I recognise that you mean well and have your mother's best interests at heart, I really hate these stereotypical generalisations.  I meet them all the time.  I dislike age-specific generalisations full-stop, whether they write off all younger people as yobs and chavs, baby-boomers as grasping and waiting for their parents to die to claim their 'inheritance' (forsooth!) or this kind of thing: 'all older people are easy targets'.

   I have come across this kind of thing in all generations.  I know of several people who opened one of the 'super' accounts which give extra benefits and services for a payment, regardless of whether you use them or not!  20 years ago I heard of people opening an account on the grounds that it gave them access to the VIP lounge at Heathrow - as they lived a long way from Heathrow and never flew anywhere anyway, they didn't realise they were paying money for nothing.  And I'm not talking about older people - these were colleagues, supposedly intelligent professionals.

   The key to your concern lies in your statement that 'your mother gets quite confused at the best of times' and you describe her as being 'vulnerable'.  This does not apply to ALL older people. 

   Regarding eye tests, an impressive array of testing is available for free at any reputable optician's, and I wouldn't necessarily think of going to Boots.  I have only recently been made aware that an optician can refer a patient to a hospital-based consultant ophthalmologist without the need to refer back to the GP.  Next week I am to see an ophthalmologist at a local private eye hospital, I was given the choice of 3 places to go under the 'Choose and Book' scheme, all free under the NHS, and I am well impressed with all of this service, none of which is costing me a penny-piece.  The following week my husband is to have his second cataract operation - the first has been excellent, the technology now is such that the actual surgery takes only 20 minutes max.  We are both well impressed with it all!

   Margaret (in early 70s and not confused!) 

Margaret

 

Thank you for your comments and I agree with what you are saying that I have used my mother as sterotypical of older people.  I am just so frustrated with the way that she has become in the last 2-3 years and feel she is more vulnerable than ever. 

 

I know that frequently she will get calls in the day from organisations trying to sell things or get a better deal and she always tells them that they need to speak to me and that is often enough deterant to stop them calling back. 

 

Thanks again for your comments.

 

Dee

This post concerned what I regard as the misuse of “solicitors’ letters”.

 

I have transferred it to a separate subject, under that title.

Hi Mancunian

    I have no knowledge of the scenario you describe but...I used to work at the CAB.  We would advise anyone with debt problems to draw up a 'statement of affairs' with their outgoings split into 'priority' and 'non-priority'.  Priority means the things we all need to survive, housing, council tax, heat, light etc, and water is one thing that no one can live without! 

    All the utility companies list various methods of paying for what has been used, and the water companies are no exception.  We pay for everything by monthly direct debit, and water is £6.93 a month (this is water which has actually been used as measured by meter).  This is such a small amount, I think that if anyone was having problems paying this to the extent of solicitors' letters then they will be having problems with other bills as well, therefore, contact your local CAB for help and advice!

  Margaret

Margaret Clare

I see from your reply that you have no knowledge of the "scenario" which concerns me.   I congratulate you on your good luck but think it likely that it must have been quite some time since you worked at the CAB.

 

The remainder of your reply has nothing to do with the problem in question.   The people affected include, as well as 'small' debtors, some who are entirely debt-free.   Debt-counselling is irrelevant;  what is at issue is the heavy-handed behaviour of companies that create stress and anxiety by their automated issue (sometimes in totally inappropriate circumstances) of threatening letters purporting to come from individual solicitors who have never seen (let alone signed) the particular documents concerned.

 

What is even more worrying is that the various relevant regulatory bodies condone these practices;  some are simply unaware of their results.   Hence my desire to accumulate evidence from people who have been adversely affected.

 

(Please note that I have now moved my original 'post' for it to appear under a more suitable heading.)

Hi Mancunian

   I worked at CAB for about 3 years up to the middle of 2005, so I don't think it's too long ago.

   I don't see that the whole question of debt is 'irrelevant'.  If the people you mention are getting solicitors' letters about debts with the water companies then it is more likely than not that they're in debt elsewhere too and therefore it is their total debt situation which needs addressing.

   Margaret

A lot of older people are feisty and able to defend their corner. However those who are becoming older and more frail do need more help with everyday living than can often be provided by the family.

We seem to have lost the social network that I remember used to be available to older parents and grandparents. No amount of social provision will ensure that there are no abuses of older people as paid carers will only have the ethics up to the amount that they are paid.

If family is not reliable either then things look bad those who are frail and old.

Yes, we have lost the social network that used to exist e.g. in a village, but we have gained in other ways.  Families are different - we're living longer and therefore may be in new marriages, as we are. We've moved and family members have moved, but we're able to communicate by email and phone rather than face-to-face.

We do a lot of things electronically - banking for example, and we could even do grocery shopping online, no need to struggle out to the shops. 

I think it's essential to think of what might happen if you become less able, do some home improvements as and when you can afford it.  A shower rather than a bath is one example. 

I also think - put your affairs in order.  We've made back-to-back wills and we have Power of Attorney for each other.  Make sure your wishes are known, to everyone who may have some input in the future.

I've discovered that over a lifetime it's essential to be feisty and to defend your own corner.  Life is more complex now.  The ability to say 'NO' is one of the most valuable attributes in my opinion.

Paid carers are there to do a limited job, and they can't possibly be expected to act as an older person's watchdog and guardian.

I don't know how it works in the UK, but over here in Poland it's the treasury office and the facility providers (water, gas, electricity, telephone), that are most exasperating. They seem unable to produce one simple sentence! They will send you two pages of single-spaced, edge-to-edge fine print and tell you to either accept the conditions therein or be left cold, dark, thirsty, and _incommunicado_. Talk of proposals people cannot refuse...

Most of their legalese would baffle an educated 30-year-old, so how about octagenarians who were hiding from the Germans when they should be in high school?

Best, Leszek.