Are you a caretaker facing false accusations? Security cameras can prove your innocence
Taking care of unwell family members can be grueling on its own. You have to take care of someone else’s food, medical appointments, restroom usage and more. This applies to any caretaker, whether you’re looking after young kids, animals or even older adults.
When you’re taking care of older adults, though, you may find yourself going toe-to-toe with amoral family members who are hungry for their piece of the inheritance pie. It’s scary to discover the dark sides of people you’ve known for decades — but greed can turn even the kindest of people into vultures. It can even inspire false accusations of abuse, a phenomenon that can have far-reaching consequences.
That’s why we recommend setting up indoor cameras to set the record straight. Whether you’re a current caretaker or you plan to help out in the future, it’s best to arrange your home security system right away. Otherwise, a family member could betray you and kick your reputation into the mud … just like one of our callers on The Kim Komando Show.
People will do anything when inheritance money is on the line
Kim, who lives in Memphis, Tennessee, called The Kim Komando Show with this problem. For the past four years, she’s been taking care of her aging parents without any compensation. Before she moved in to take care of them, her brother was the caretaker — or so he claimed.
“He said that I wasn’t needed,” Kim said. “But when I came for a visit, I saw pantry moths flying all through their kitchen. Mom was eating moldy food, dad had dropped down to 115 pounds, and I said, ‘Okay, I need to get there.’ So I quit my job, sold my house, arrived three months later and got busy.”
About six months after she arrived, her parents stopped paying their son’s salary. They also quit paying off his mortgage.
That’s when the trouble started
Within two weeks of having their money cut off, Kim’s brother and niece started dragging her name through the mud. They reported her to various nurses, members of her parents’ church and even county and state agencies for elder abuse.
This shocked Kim, who hadn’t received any compensation for taking care of her mother and father. (Speaking of which, if you’re caring for an aging relative, here’s our guide to tech that can help.)
Now her own brother was turning against her, all because of a decision their parents made. In a bid to clear her name, Kim collected evidence to prove her innocence. She went online, bought some recording devices and set everything up.
Don’t make this mistake: She used audio rather than video
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