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At AARP, we promote the health and well-being of older Americans for more than 60 years. We are monitoring developments related to Covid-19 and are working feverishly to keep you informed by providing you information and resources to help older people and caregivers protect themselves from the virus and prevent its spread.

In line with those efforts, we have asked Pedro Perez, the Deputy Chief for the Consumer Protection Division of the Texas Attorney General's Office to join us to talk about keeping you safe from COVID-19 scammers and what you can do regarding price gouging.

In our Prepare to Care Podcast, Mr. Perez talked about Texas cities seeing the largest cases of price gouging, what item prices are being hiked, where to file complaints and what we can do to protect ourselves and our loved ones from these crooks.

Did you know family caregivers in the U.S. provide $470 billion in unpaid care? Being a family caregiver is one of the most important jobs you’ll ever have—and one of the most challenging too. The role can be frustrating, satisfying, exhausting, and joyful. Yes, there are tough decisions you have to make when caring for someone.

Whether it’s your first time being a caregiver or you’re a pro; caring from afar or in your own home – being on this caregiving journey will change your life.

Marie Arcos knows all about this ever-changing labor of love. She is a caregiver to her mother, Kandy Hernandez. Both of these ladies are joining us here today to talk about being a family caregiver and being the person being cared for

Elder abuse affects people’s finances, it can also be detrimental to the physical and emotional health of the victim. The threat of elder abuse is daunting for the 40 million family caregivers who help their parents and spouses.

One-in-five older Americans are victims of financial exploitation and each victim loses an average of $34,000. When vigilance is a two-sided effort, the results are overwhelmingly effective and a win for potential victims and financial institutions.

So, how do you spot elder abuse? Who do you turn to when you have suspicions and what can be done? Here to help us answer those questions is Kristina Roberts who is the new chief of our Elder Abuse Section with the Harris County DA’s Office.

Important Numbers:

Harris County DA’s Office, Elder Abuse Division 713.274.5800

Adult Protective Services 713.767.2000

Caregiving may seem overwhelming when thinking in terms of legalities and finances. In fact, about 3 in 5 caregivers — almost 24 million people — have a paying job in addition to their caregiving responsibilities. More than a third cut back on personal spending to get the extra money they need to pay for a loved one's needs. That added financial responsibility can be taxing for caregivers who are helping a loved one manage their money and finances.

What can you do? WenFang Bruchett owns her own non-profit group for financial education. She is joining us today to talk about finances and tools available to you, the caregiver. Hear his money management tips in this edition of the AARP Prepare to Care podcast.

It’s 2020 and the new year means new beginnings and scams targeting you or the person you care for daily. The latest thing making the rounds on social media is advising us to write out the complete year as a way to avoid fraud. Seems we can be scammed just by writing out 20 instead of 2020 on legal documents.

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo is joining us on the AARP Prepare to Care Podcast. He’s talking about scams targeting us today and he's also offering us tips that could help keep us from becoming crime victims.

If you have a non-emergency in Houston call the Houston Police Department at 713.884.3131. If you want to find out what HPD is doing in your community call 713.308.3200.

Trying to find a balance between work, school, friends and family can be difficult. It can even be more challenging if you are a caregiver. For those unsung heroes, caring for a loved one can be an emotional rollercoaster that may affect your overall health.

In this edition of the AARP Prepare to Care podcast, host Charlene Hunter-James talks to Leticia Fallick about caregivers and stress. Leticia Fallick is a Licensed Professional Counselor who specializes in relationship issues, family conflicts, depression and more. She gives us tips on how to cope with stress, care for ourselves and much more.

It’s that time of the year again… time for W2s and, yes, taxes. Everyone is familiar with the process. We do taxes every year, but what if you’re a caregiver? Are there specific deductions to take? What can we write off and what about the people we are for? Do they do taxes too?

It can be a lot to think about, but to ease your mind Prepare to Care Podcast host Eddie Orum welcomes Bart Hatfield. He is the AARP Tax-Aide Volunteer Regional Coordinator. In this edition of the Prepare to Care Podcast, Hatfield gives us some great tips on how to prepare for this tax season, the AARP free tax preparation program and how to watch out for fraud, identity theft and scammers.

Happy New Year! Many of us begin our year with a new resolution. It is the perfect time for fresh new beginnings. These include spending more time with loved ones, finding the right job, and trying to lose weight.

As a caregiver, the importance of staying healthy and eating well is crucial. One must take care of themselves first before taking care of others. This is also true for the person you are caring for on a daily basis. This is because the person we care for can have medical conditions and need monitoring.

In this edition of the AARP Prepare to Care Podcast, Dr. Keisha Davis, a trained physician, joins host Charlene Hunter James. She talks to us about the importance of maintaining a good healthy diet and lifestyle. Perfect for the New Year.

TODD or Transfer on Death Deed is a hot topic these days. If you haven’t heard about it, chances are you will. What is it? TODD is the transfer of real property. It is a legal and affordable method of transferring homes and other real property to your loved ones in the event of your passing.

As a caregiver, what do you need to know about this transfer and who benefits the most? Carla J. Krystyniak with Lone Star Legal Aid and Nicole Boooker, Disaster Case-worker with the Houston Area Urban League join us on our Prepare to Care Podcast to answer those questions and more.

'Tis the season for scams. The holidays are the time for family, for fun and traditions. You can say that Holiday cheer, excitement, and spirit of giving is in the air.

While we're giving thanks, we also have to look around to make sure we are safe. During this time of year, scammers are more active than ever. So what can we do to us from being a victim from fraud?

In our latest edition of the AARP Prepare to Care podcast, Mary McFaden, Assistant District Attorney at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, joins host Juanita Jimenez-Soto to talk about how we can keep from becoming a victim of fraud.