Legal Brief with Alan Tate of Harris Tate www.harristate.co.nz

There are a number of cases surfacing where elderly people have been taken advantage of.

In a recent case, an elderly lady who lived alone was befriended by the real estate agent who had arranged the sale of her house. The friendship continued and the lady appointed the agent as her Power of Attorney. He then proceeded to help himself to her money to support his struggling business, no doubt with the best of intentions to pay it back. The inevitable happened; the business failed and she lost her money.

In another recent case, Hastings Police are appealing for public help to track down a man who they say befriends elderly people and later bullies and steals from them. Police say the man is particularly cunning in the way he targets people who he believed would not make a fuss or a complaint.

In Christchurch, police are seeking information about the activities of a door-to-door window cleaner who may be praying on elderly and vulnerable residents for money. The man apparently visits elderly people claiming they owe him money for having their windows cleaned when no work has been done.

These sorts of situation are more common than many people realise. Not only can elderly people be taken advantage of financially, but they can also be subject to physical and mental abuse.

Elderly people often do not have others they can turn to for support and assistance and if they do, are too embarrassed to admit they have a problem. It is over to other people in the community who come into contact with elderly people to keep their eyes open for things that do not seem quite right.

Those suspicions can then be discussed with the elderly person's friends, family or careers. If that is not appropriate, then contact can be made with Age Concern Tauranga who will check and attempt to resolve issues where elderly people are not being treated properly or fairly. To contact Age Concern phone 07 578 2631.