Magazine subscriptions for an elderly relative

[Bandito440]

Hello friends. Some time ago I started a thread on the topic of mail fraud and the elderly after finding out that my grandmother was sending money to strangers who had solicited bogus donations and fees through the mail.

I've since had some success persuading her not to mail money to strangers, but one of them keeps convincing her that she needs to pay them. The offender is a scammer who claims that he needs $20 in order to petition the government not to decrease her Social Security payments. Of course, this is bogus. However, when Social Security gets mentioned, the old folks seem to panic and lose all objective thinking skills. She wouldn't tell me how often she pays to this scam, but it could very well be monthly.

So, for those of you with elderly relatives, I recommend that you read the original thread that I linked to above.

I've also been writing letters to her on a more regular basis, in an effort to give her some mail to go through other then the scams and sweepstakes. I believe this is helped as well.

I'd like to get her a magazine subscription (or several) in order to give her something to read other than junk mail, and I'm looking for suggestions. She's enjoyed Reader's Digest in the past, so I'm adding that to the list. I'd very much appreciate any other suggestions on the topic.

 

[CKN]

A Kindle from Amazon is so easy to use even my three year old grand daughter knows how to use mine. And she can have access to more books than she could ever read on any subject.

For magazines-One thing I have found out is there are magazines for just about every hobby. If she is a quilter, or cooks, or sews, or whatever there is a magazine for it. I think Amazon.com might be a place to look for Magazines even if you don't use their services.

 

[eljefino]

Get the magazines in your name but her address in case the subscription list gets sold. She might be more timid about opening "your" mail.

Are you local to her? Can you get added to her mail, through Power of Attorney or something, and have it sent to a box downtown?

 

[Bandito440]

Thank you for the responses thus far.

She's 93, and unwilling to learn Kindle use.

I'm 200 miles from her, and although her kids (my aunts and uncles) are closer, getting the mail in the apartment lobby allows her to interact with the other elderly residents at her complex. I think this is a great benefit, as she doesn't get as much interaction as I'd like.

I'll start scouring Amazon later today. I'll likely purchase the Reader's digest subscription that way.

 

[Wolf359]

There's tons of magazines out there, how about National Geographics? Collected by Amerians for decades. Also how about some newspapers like the NY Times or the Wall Street Journal? If you look around, there are usually some pretty good teaser rates out there.

 

[Chris142]

Sign her up at harbor freight! That will give her hrs of mail to sort through

 

[JayhawkRoy]

+1 for National Geographic.
We also subscribe to Smithsonian magazine.

 

[HerrStig]

Consumer Reports, lots of scam info there.

 

[Kuato]

You could always forward her mail to you since you're close, and prescreen it to weed out the scams.

Watch the magazine renewals; my mom was up to about 3 1/2 years ahead on one magazine because they sent out their renewal notices every 9 months and she just paid them. It was Reader's Digest.....

 

[DBMaster]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Consumer Reports, lots of scam info there.


X2, and they seem to have a lot of articles geared toward the concerns of retired and elderly folks lately.

I have put my subscriptions on automatic renewal. I can stop it any time I want and it prevents all those early renewal notices. In fact, I get no renewal notices.

 

[sicko]

Originally Posted By: CKN
A For magazines-One thing I have found out is there are magazines for just about every hobby. If she is a quilter, or cooks, or sews, or whatever there is a magazine for it. I think Amazon.com might be a place to look for Magazines even if you don't use their services.



This is exactly what I was going to say. Find out what she likes and get a couple of magazines about that.

There are also magazines about things that will interest her that wouldn't normally come up when you ask her about topics she likes. Like old people love reading about health so something about senior health and fitness might be good, and there are senior specific magazines like AARP and others. Do a google search, you might be able to find some available in large print if her vision is going.

 

[Bandito440]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'm unable to forward her mail, as she's fiercely independent and her mind is still strong. The best I can do is try to suggest that she not send money to people that she doesn't know. It's worked well with the exception of that Social Security scam. I'm hoping that some periodicals and the occasional letter from me will help distract her from obsessing over junk mail.

I'm going with Reader's Digest, Time, and a third; perhaps Consumer Reports.