A caregiver's guide: Finance protection for those with Alzheimer's

Credit problems and identity issues can be difficult to guard against during the best of circumstances, but for someone with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease – a form of dementia that affects thinking, memory and behavior – preventing identity theft and maintaining good credit can seem impossible.

As many as 5.5 million Americans were living with Alzheimer’s disease in 2017, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. The number of Alzheimer’s victims is on track to triple by 2050, meaning up to 16 million Americans could be living with the disease.

For many individuals, money management problems such as unpaid or unopened bills, extraneous or unusual purchases and numerous ATM cash withdrawals are common financial symptoms of Alzheimer’s or dementia. . These types of smaller infractions could negatively affect an Alzheimer’s patient’s credit or make them easy targets for identity theft.