Financial abuse or financial exploitation of the elderly is when another individual takes or uses the money or property of a senior with intent to defraud that individual. It is a difficult decision to place our loved ones is an assisted living establishment, but when we do, we do so with the trust that these facilities are going to provide the best possible care. The elderly living in an assisted living environment are especially vulnerable to exploitation, and those who prey on others usually do so because their victims are defenseless. Examples of financial abuse and exploitation are:

•cashing of checks without permission
•forging a signature
•stealing cash or possessions
•deceiving an elderly person into signing contacts or wills
•over-charging

As the nursing home industry continues to grow in this country, many facilities can barely keep up, having to run on skeleton staffs with lax hiring processes. Residents are often too afraid to report abuse in fear of embarrassment or retaliation. It is also not uncommon for nursing home financial abuses to occur from another resident, and could be caused by the negligence of nursing home staff or security.

To be sure, nursing home abuse is not always easy to discover. Many of the signs of abuse, such as bruises, dehydration, shallow breathing, jaundice and other indicia of abuse also can occur naturally. Other signs, such as bed sores, which often result from a failure to provide proper exercise for an elderly patient resulting in severe and persistent pressure on a tendon, are more obvious. Visit our information center to learn more about the types of elder care abuse or click on one of the links below to visit our attorney specializing in nursing home neglect and elder care abuse:

Compounding the problem is that many elderly patients do not report abuse or mistreatment for fear of retaliation or ridicule. It is important for you to explain to your loved one that they should feel comfortable discussing with you any deficiencies in their care, and that you will take those concerns seriously so that they feel free to speak with you.

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