Elder abuse is not an issue to be ignored or taken lightly. It is a serious problem that affects millions of older Americans every year. This silent issue robs seniors of their dignity and security. The National Council on Aging estimates that up to five million older Americans are abused annually. The financial loss suffered by victims of elder abuse is also significant, with estimates suggesting it could be at least $36.5 billion each year. Given the impact of elder abuse, it is essential to raise awareness and take action to prevent such heinous acts from occurring.
What is elderly financial abuse?
Financial abuse of the elderly occurs when another person takes unapproved control of a senior’s finances, property, or assets or otherwise exploits the senior for personal material gain. There are a number of common schemes that abusers use to take advantage of vulnerable seniors. These may include:
- Forging signatures on checks and other financial documents
- Stealing money, possessions, or other assets
- Cashing a senior’s checks without authorization
- Using a debit or credit card without permission
- Using coercion to convince a senior to add the abuser to a will or other document
- Deceiving the senior into giving authorization to access accounts
- Improper use of the power of attorney or conservatorship
What are the signs of financial abuse of the elderly?
Signs of elder abuse are often easy to spot if you have access to your loved one’s financial accounts and records. If not, they can be more difficult to see. Discussing your senior’s finances openly, either with your loved one or the person authorized to access her records, can help you identify any signs of financial abuse. Things to look for include:
- Sudden changes in banking habits
- Unexplained withdrawal of money, often with someone accompanying the senior to the bank
- Unknown or unauthorized names added to the bank signature card
- Unexplained charges on the senior’s debit or credit card
- Sudden changes in wills, powers of attorney, or other documents
- Disappearance of money, property, or assets
- Missed bill payments despite having adequate funds in an account
- Forged signatures on checks or other financial documents
- Sudden involvement of previously unknown relatives or caregivers in financial matters
- Charges for unnecessary services or those that a resident never received
- A senior who believes they are being taken advantage of by a caregiver
What do I do if I suspect financial abuse?
If you believe your loved one is suffering from elder abuse, you should take action to immediately safeguard their assets from the abuser or any other unauthorized user. If you believe it is a nursing home staff member, notify management immediately. You may also want to arrange to transfer your loved one to another facility.
Do I need to enlist the help of an attorney?
A nursing home abuse attorney at Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault can help you pursue a civil case if your loved one suffered elderly financial abuse – or another type of abuse – at the hands of a trusted caregiver, nursing home staff member, or other abuser. Under Ohio law, victims of financial abuse are often eligible to recover compensation for the damages they suffered. Contact us today at 419-843-6663 to schedule an appointment.
Michael Bell, is Partner and Personal Injury Attorney at GT&B since 2007. His entire career has been committed to protecting the rights of those injured through no fault of their own. Mike concentrates his practice in the areas of car wrecks, trucking accidents, medical negligence, wrongful death, birth injuries, defective products, nursing home abuse & neglect, dog bites, construction accidents and slip & falls.