Those who commit financial abuse pick their targets carefully. They look for certain signs that show them that it will be easier to get what they want.
For family members of elderly relatives who receive assistance from caregivers, it is important to look for these same signs that may indicate that the person is being abused financially. This abuse could come from a caregiver or another family member. Some warning signs include the following:
- The person is physically not in optimal health. This makes them vulnerable to exploitation from caregivers who threaten to withhold services unless they get what they’re seeking.
- The person cannot take care of their own home. Some experts warn that repair workers may take advantage of elderly people by claiming that repairs need to be done when they do not, or by claiming they made repairs that they never made.
- The person has mental and emotional challenges. The elderly person may suffer from dementia or be confused and forgetful due to another degenerative brain disease. People who are close to them may use this for their own gain.
- The person does not know much about their own finances. A caregiver may be in charge of paying bills and handling money. If the elderly person doesn’t know about their own financial situation, that can open the door to abuse.
Do you believe that one of your elderly family members is being abused financially? This is a very serious situation and you need to learn all of your legal options under the law here in California. It may be possible to press charges and also recover civil damages from the negligent caregiver.
