I will never support a Council on Aging

 Some years ago I had an elderly neighbor who had no family apart from a disinherited son and was in some financila distress. He had no income no income but he owned his home, so I offered to buy the home at then market rates, with him to stay there until he died or had to go into care with free rent paying only taxes and insurance. There was also something about maintenance, although I do not remember the details. His attorney and my attorney were happy with the concept, the law and the contract. Then his son found out.

His son had been disinherited for 20 or 30 years, there was no familiar relationship and by all accounts he deserved it. However he clearly had designs on the property and when he found out, he contacted the owner of a bar a few doors down. The bar-owner contacted the local Council on Aging.

I don't know what he told the CoA, but I received a letter about the legal ramifications of taking advantage of the elderly. Of course I was not doing this - fair market value plus rent-free living for life is a good deal. I went to see my neighbor who had been visited by a CoA representative and who was in effect terrified of whatever it was that the s/he had said. He backed out of signing the sales and purchase agreement, and did not want to speak with me again.

About two months later, he died. As he had been unfailingly optimistic and ebullient, I put it down to the stress of this whole event. A few months later, the sale of the property was recorded - to the bar owner, for about 30% less than I had agreed with the now deceased.

The CoA had not investigated what was going on, they had not spoken to me to find out what was happening, they had not requested any paperwork such as the contract, they had not investigated the "complaint". They had rushed to judgment and accepted whatever had been alleged by the bar-owner, made a wrong and inexcusable decision and had frightened a vulnerable senior. In my opinion, my neighbor's death was the direct result of the CoA visit and the words of the CoA "advocate".  Oh, and they had helped the bar owner make an extremely advantageous purchase.

For this reason, I will never support a Councl on Aging.

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