Elder Law

Financial Exploitation Explored on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

By Levin & Perconti

An article on the Chicago Tribune website reported that a former nursing assistant at The Moorings, a nursing home in Arlington Heights, was sentenced to five years in prison for theft after she stole $6,070 from an elderly resident?s bank account. The former employee obtained the victim?s banking information while she worked at the nursing home in 2008. For the full article on nursing home financial abuse, click on the link.

There are many forms of elder abuse, and financial exploitation is one form that has become a growing problem. Financial exploitation occurs when a person in a position of power or trust takes advantage of an elderly person in order to gain access to their money, property, or other assets. Nursing home residents are particularly susceptible to financial exploitation because as elderly or dependent people, they rely on others to care for them. Signs of financial exploitation include any activity that is inconsistent with the elder?s ability, such as making withdrawals from an ATM when physically incapable of doing so, increased withdrawals or activity on credit cards, and changes in account beneficiaries.

With an estimation of more than 1 in 10 seniors experiencing elder abuse or mistreatment just this past year in the United States, this report of financial elder abuse comes as we recognize World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. It is important to spread information and awareness in order to combat the epidemic of elder abuse.

For more information about elder abuse, visit the National Center on Elder Abuse website.

If you know or suspect that a loved one has been financially exploited at a nursing home, please contact a Chicago nursing home attorney.

Full post as published by Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog on June 15, 2010 (boomark / email).