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Nursing Home Financial Abuse

Living in a nursing home can make it difficult for a resident to keep up with their personal affairs. Because so much time is spent on-site, most seniors lose track of their money if they’re not actively spending it at shops and hobbies as they used to. In some cases, residents of a nursing home may be too ill or bedridden to consider their financial situation. A senior may have important documents in their possession while residing at a nursing home. Unfortunately, sometimes there are people waiting to take advantage of these situations.

Have you or someone you love ever been financially abused at a nursing home? If so, contact an elder abuse lawyer to discuss your potential case today.

Financial abuse within nursing homes is relatively common. Because many seniors are unaware that they are being robbed or are incapable of keeping track of their finances, this makes them easy targets. Scam artists will often go after seniors who are lonely, mentally disabled or recently widowed. Forms of financial abuse commonly used against seniors are:

• Overcharging for basic services / services that don’t require payment
• Exploitation by false legal documents
• Fraudulent lottery scams
• Mail fraud
• Identity theft

Financial Abuse of the elderly can be difficult to detect. It’s rare that a senior will notice financial abuse on their own. In most cases, the abuse is discovered by a loved one or friend. Signs that a senior is being financially abused are:

• Unusually large withdrawals from bank accounts
• Recently altered deed or will
• Possessions going missing
• Missing checks or credit cards
• Newly opened lines of credit

Consumers Digest recently reported that over 5 million cases of financial abuse are opened in the US each year. Seniors are often unaware or too embarrassed to report these crimes. Because of this, only an estimated 1 in 25 cases are actually reported. There are laws protecting a senior from this kind of abuse. The federal Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 requires that all nursing home residents, have a right to be free from verbal, mental, physical, and sexual abuse. It is a federal crime to commit financial abuse against a senior.

If you or someone you love has been a victim of nursing home financial abuse, one of our lawyers may be able to help! Contact an elder abuse attorney in your local area today.

Did you know?
The U.S. Attorney General and the Solicitor General of Canada estimated the revenue of lottery scams directed at seniors to be about $1 billion a year.