There are two main approaches for families to help aging loved ones who are having trouble with technology: Roll into it slowly, or just do it. When the time came for Elliott Appel’s dad to stop driving, he willingly gave up his car keys. But when Appel told him it was no longer safe for him to have unmonitored access to a computer or phone, it was a much bigger deal.
Appel said he made the jump to restrict access to internet-connected devices because he saw some alarming irregularities: random withdrawals on his father’s bank account that looked sketchy, and a check to a neighbor for $1,000. In addition to cancer and dementia, Appel’s father had mental-health and addiction problems. Copyright ©2026 MarketWatch, Inc.
All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8 As a mortgage loan officer, I rejected wealthy couples. Here’s what can get your application declined. My brother-in-law convinced his parents to sign over their home and savings to buy a $3 million compound.
Wall Street is hyping AI. This fund manager is betting instead on fires, HVAC and Berkshire Hathaway. Google makes a fresh bet on nuclear power as the AI energy crunch intensifies Beth Pinsker is a financial-planning columnist at MarketWatch.
She has been a certified financial planner (CFP®) since 2018. Previously, she worked at , Fidelity and Walletpop.com. She is the author of the book "My Mother's Money: A Guide to Financial Caregiving." Prior to covering personal finance, she was a film critic and entertainment business reporter, writing for Entertainment Weekly, the Dallas Morning News and many other publications.
You can follow her on BlueSky (@bethpinsker.bsky.social) or LinkedIn (@bpinsker). Intraday Data provided by FACTSET and subject to terms of use. Historical and current end-of-day data provided by FACTSET.
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