DEAR ABBY: I’m growing concerned for my grandparents. They are in their late 80s and homebound. Recently, a new tenant moved into their garage apartment. They LOVE her. The rest of the family is suspicious of her. She has no job and no car and has never paid rent. She frequently spends the day with my grandparents and recently “helped” them change all their usernames and passwords to something more “simple and easy.”
My grandparents live on Social Security. They have no savings, and I don’t believe they have a will. From my perspective, they are setting themselves up to be robbed, abused and left high and dry by a crook disguised as their friendly tenant.
Is this worthy of an Adult Protective Services investigation? My grandparents guilt the rest of the family by saying, “At least our tenant comes over often, unlike the rest of you.” (I live three hours away). Do I need to mind my own business? They aren’t suspicious at all. -- DUBIOUS IN TEXAS
DEAR DUBIOUS: An investigation is not an accusation. The relationship your lonely grandparents have with this tenant is unusual. Contact APS, inform them about what’s going on with your grandparents and let someone there decide whether your concerns are worth following up on. Better to be safe than sorry.
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Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
