Cell phone

r001norris · April 30

My DW is 70, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s about 10 months ago, but looking back, it’s been a few years. I think she is stage 3 or 4, but, I don’t know what to do about her cellphone. She has given out too much info to scam callers who have sold it to other scammers. I put her phone on “silence unknown callers” , but she gets 40-90 a day. If I don’t stop her, she will call them back. I stopped her the other day as she got out her Medicare card to read off her number. She told me “ it’s Medicare calling”. I explain it to her and she understands, but then we go through it again the next day. She will not let me change her number, anyone else experience this? Any help is appreciated!

r001norris · April 30

I just did a search on the topic and got some insight into what others have said/gone through. I guess I’m venting as much as asking for an opinion.

blacksparky · April 30

Here are a few things that I have done. I have all her medical cards and Medicare card with me. I canceled her credit cards. She still has them but they are no good to use. Work on getting all the DPOA paperwork done now. I have also opened up separate checking and savings accounts in my name. Very little money in our joint accounts just in case she lets a scammer into those accounts. Hope this helps.

nopost · April 30

Having a LO with dementia can be like leaving your wallet on a park bench , it is up to you to protect your safety— financial and physical. Sounds like it is time to restrict her access to ALL finances and outside influences you can't control. There are phones with limited number access.

Her brain is not able to evaluate or remember financial dealings - even if she may sound "ok" when talking about familiar things around the house. It is up to you to manage it from now on .

And a visit with an elder law attorney is recommended - to get the documents you'll need to manage everything for the future , explore long term medicaid options etc. Plan for things like if something happened to you - short or long term- who could step in for take care of both of you etc.

cavenson · April 30

Good ideas from other posters. As an extra precaution, you can freeze her credit on Experian, Transunion, and Equifax. Hopefully, she has a flip phone that does not have access to the internet.

Russinator · April 30

I put my wife's phone on airplane mode

l7pla1w2 · May 1

I told my DW not to answer our home phone (yes, we still have a landline) if she didn't recognize the caller in Caller ID. When the phone rang, she would ask whether she should answer, and I tell her, "No." But sometimes she answered without asking. If I heard her speaking on the phone, I would also pick up and ask the caller what their business was. Usually the explanation was lame, and I would hang up, saying, "We're done here."

DW has a cellphone that she hardly used when she was of sound mind, and using one later was beyond her. She would ask me whether she had a cellphone. When I said yes, she would hold up various objects and ask, "Is this a cellphone?" She's in MC now, and I still have her phone, but mostly it sits idle until the battery runs down. I could probably use it for something, and the plan she's on costs us less than $100 a year [sic]. It has a lot of available minutes, texts, and data accumulated (on Tracfone).

Sandi Roe · May 1

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/72919/cell-phone

interesting this post comes up. Just today I heard my LO crying in his workshop and asked what’s wrong. He said he couldn’t remember how to text anymore 😞He also said he didn’t want to be a burden, his mom had Alzheimer’s disease. We are probably stage 3-4 but today has been a very bad day for him. I know he gets lots of text I don’t know about, but so far most everything comes to my phone. I like the airplane mode idea 🤔we have been together for 17 years, both widowed with a commitment ceremony no paper trail. I will care for him as long as I can, we don’t RV, Cruise or do much of anything. He’s 86, I’m 81, so sad to see this fine man loose everything. I’ve already taken away his guns, cars, bill payments and I do all meds. Yes I’m the chief cook and bottle washer, I hope we don’t have more days like today. Love and light, Sandi