When people think of abuse, one of the most common kinds they think of is likely physical abuse. Although physical abuse is one of the more common types of abuse seen at a nursing home, you may be worried that your elderly loved one is a victim of financial abuse. Nursing homes are supposed to be safe spaces for your loved one, especially when you are unable to take care of their physical or mental needs as they age. However, financial abuse can happen, and the nursing home abuse attorneys want to make sure you understand the signs to look out for. Unfortunately, nursing home abuse can take many forms, and if you do not know what to look out for your loved one may continue to be a victim.
Why are elderly people in nursing homes at such a high risk?
When your loved one is in a nursing home, they are at a much higher risk for financial exploitation for many reasons. One reason may be that they are suffering from some type of mental incapacitation and are unable to understand that someone is taking advantage of them. It is also possible that they have a physical problem that makes it hard for them to see what someone else is doing to them financially, and their failing eyesight can be a contributing factor. This means that they might rely on someone at the nursing home to take care of their basic financial tasks.
What are common types of financial abuse with nursing home patients?
There are a few common types of financial abuse that occur with nursing home residents, including:
- Scams
- Bank Account Theft
- Healthcare Fraud
- Identity Theft
I’m worried that my loved one might be a victim of financial abuse. What are the warning signs that I should look out for?
There are a few warning signs you can look out for if you believe your loved one is at risk or is already a victim.
- Your loved one has unexpected credit card charges.
- Your loved one has unexpected withdrawals from their account.
- Your loved one’s money or property is disappearing.
- Your loved one has a sudden change to their will.
- Your loved one has added beneficiaries to their life insurance policies.
- Your loved one has unexpected bills that are growing.
Any of these could be a sign that your loved one is the victim of financial abuse, and because of the position their caregivers are in on a daily basis, they may have easy access to your loved one’s bank account information.
What should I do?
When you believe your family member is a victim, you should call a nursing home injury lawyer in NJ as soon as possible so that we can get to the bottom of their financial abuse. They want to make sure your loved one is in a place that is safe and cares for them during their golden years.
Thanks to Davis & Brusca for their insight into personal injury claims and financial nursing home abuse.
