I don't understand what happens to some people when they age (and for those of you who know me, you'll most likely know to whom I am referring) but the elderly people in my family that I've been around who use to be very smart with their minds and money have gone down hill quickly, and what I mean by that is things that they use to think were scams and trivial and a waste of money (which actually were) they now think are the best things since sliced bread.

Listening to corrupt television preachers and radio talk-show hosts and unscrupulous door-to-door salesmen these elderly people now think that the "junk mail" they receive and the "miracle pills" or "miracle cures" advertised on TV and radio and the unsolicited phone calls they receive telling them "they've just won a million dollars in the Australian lottery but in order to release the funds they must first send $5,000.00" will all of a sudden make them lighter, brighter and richer!  Come on!

I love the elderly people in my family but this is ridiculous!  Getting older shouldn't mean getting dumber.  My husband and I recently found out that a door-to-door salesmen sold (an elderly family member) an AT&T "bundle package" for well over $450.00 which included internet service and this family member didn't even own a a computer! Needless to say when we found out about it...we took care of it!
Unfortunately we're not in a situation where we live close to our elderly parents (due to our jobs) so we have to depend on the kindness of other family members who live closer to keep an eye on them for us.
We try to talk to our parents and warn them of things and situations that we know or hear about but they come from an era of trusting people and taking people at their word.
If you are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to live close to your elderly family members then that's great!  Hopefully, you can keep an eye on them and keep the greedy, crooked, exploiting, unethical, rotten, shady fools away from them.

I have to say though that not all the elderly people I know are this naive. I have friends and neighbors who are in there upper 80's and lower 90's who are still very much independent and are able-bodied and able-minded and can manage their own finances and households quite well.  Kudos to them!

I just wish the elderly people in our family who are so naive would listen to us (or others who have their best interest at heart) and stop being so foolish. It's kind of like they're reverting back to childish ways instead of continuing to be the smart, intelligent, bright, resourceful, alert person they use to be