Three Types of Financial Abuse in Nursing Homes

When you admit your loved one to a nursing home, you cannot imagine that someone would take advantage of their financial situation. Sadly, it is a reality that happens all too often.

Financial abuse in nursing homes can also take many forms and while they differ slightly from each other, they all have the same purpose. They all also cause significant harm to nursing home residents and their families. Below, our Tampa financial abuse attorney outlines three types of wrongdoing long-term facilities, and their staff members, can be held liable for.

Extortion and Manipulation 

Unfortunately, nursing home residents can be extorted and manipulated by nursing home staff members. Employees of the nursing home may intimidate, threaten, or frighten residents into giving them resources, money, and other property. These actions constitute extortion.

Manipulation of nursing home residents is as equally harmful as extortion. A staff member may manipulate a nursing home resident by promising them a lifetime of care in exchange for property. Or, they may go to a resident with a sad and untrue story about them or a loved one, emphasizing that money could fix their problems so the resident offers it.

Theft 

Theft can occur in nursing homes in a number of ways. A staff member may take personal belongings of a resident to keep for themselves. Truthfully, this is not very common in nursing homes, though. Staff members are more likely to use a resident’s bank card when they do not have the authority to do so, or they may steal a resident’s identity to access bank accounts and other financial resources.

Fraud 

Nursing home residents are especially vulnerable to scams, cons, and other types of fraud. This is due to a number of factors including hearing issues, confusion, and dementia. Fraud can happen in person, online, or even over the phone but most fraudulent nursing home staff members will commit the act face-to-face. Any time a nursing home resident is deceived into giving a staff member access to their financial accounts, it is fraud.

One of the most common ways fraud is committed in nursing homes is when staff members trick residents into signing or changing legal documentation. For example, a staff member may trick a resident into signing, drafting, or changing legal documents such as their will or power of attorney so the staff member benefits from it. Or, a staff member may forge a resident’s signature on a check. These are just a few examples of fraud that occurs in nursing homes.

Call Our Financial Abuse Attorney in Tampa Today 

If you believe your loved one has been the victim of financial abuse in a nursing home, you need legal help. At Kohn Law, our Tampa financial abuse attorney has seen the devastation that results from this wrongdoing and is committed to helping families make things right. We can put our expertise to work for you, too. Call us today at 813-428-8504 or contact us online to schedule a consultation and to learn more about how we can help with your case.

Source:

leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0400/0400.html