When a person becomes a resident of a nursing home, they lose control over many aspects of their lives. If they are able, many hang on to control over their finances. Their loved ones often focus on ensuring the patient receives compassionate, quality care. This is essential, but you should be aware that financial exploitation is also a concern for the residents of these facilities.
Talk to an attorney at Colling Gilbert Wright about financial abuse in Orlando nursing homes. Our firm is well-regarded in the community for our commitment and success in nursing home abuse cases.
Nursing Home Residents Are Vulnerable to Financial Exploitation
People enter nursing homes because they are medically frail, suffering cognitive difficulties, or both. They may have difficulty managing their financial affairs, and they may not have the discernment to recognize people with bad intentions.
Family members and loved ones may not be focused on financial abuse. Many nursing home patients have no family and do not receive many visitors. With nobody to oversee their finances, these residents are especially susceptible to undue influence, scams, and theft.
Forms of Financial Abuse
Financial abuse is a broad category. It can include:
- Theft of valuables or cash from a patient’s room
- Charging the patient extra for services that are included in their nursing home fee
- Cultivating a personal relationship with the patient and then asking for help or gifts of money or goods
- Stealing the patient’s personal information and selling it or using it to access their credit cards and bank accounts
- Inducing a nursing home resident to change their will or name the exploiter as a beneficiary
Our Orlando attorneys have encountered cases of financial abuse perpetrated by other patients, nursing home staff, and the owners and administrators of the facility.
How Do You Detect Financial Abuse?
If you have a loved one in a nursing home, it is important that you look for the signs of financial exploitation, just as you would look for signs of poor care. Be aware that nursing home residents can become confused about financial issues, so it is important to try to independently verify any complaints.
On the other hand, residents can be secretive about their financial affairs. In that case, there are indicators of financial exploitation that merit investigation:
- Delinquent payments on bills
- Large electronic transfers or cash withdrawals without explanation
- Marked changes in spending patterns
- Sudden changes to financial documents, such as a power of attorney or will
Nursing home residents will sometimes display signs of agitation or distress if someone is financially exploiting them.
If you suspect a staff member or other patient is stealing from the resident, bring your concerns to the nursing home administrator. Follow up in writing so you can prove that the administrator was aware of your suspicions. Also, contact a nursing home abuse lawyer at our firm to discuss further steps to protect your loved one from financial exploitation and hold the facility accountable.
Take Action Against the Abusers
When you bring us into a nursing home financial abuse case, we investigate to get proof and determine the scope of your loved one’s losses. We will review the patient’s financial records. Depending on the circumstances, we may engage a forensic accountant or other professional to trace your loved one’s lost funds.
Florida Statutes § 415.102 recognizes financial exploitation of a vulnerable person as a violation of their rights. When we have proof, we can file a civil lawsuit against the thief. Sometimes, police involvement is appropriate.
Regardless of whether there are criminal charges, our Orlando nursing home financial abuse attorneys would seek recovery of the stolen assets and compensation for your loved one’s emotional distress. If the thief is a nursing home employee or another patient, the facility could be liable for your loved one’s losses.
Consult Our Orlando Attorneys If You Suspect Financial Abuse at a Nursing Home
Financial abuse can be difficult to detect, but no vulnerable nursing home resident should be exploited this way. If you suspect someone is taking financial advantage of a nursing home resident, you must act.
The Florida Firm Injury and Accident Lawyers handles cases involving financial abuse in Orlando nursing homes effectively and with compassion. We do not charge legal fees or expenses unless we recover funds for you, so schedule a free consultation today.