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Financial Abuse in Nursing Homes

Any type of harm to nursing home residents can be immensely harmful and difficult for family members to detect. However, while physical abuse may leave noticeable injuries and psychological abuse may manifest as changes in a resident’s personality, other types can be invisible unless you know how to look for them.

Financial abuse in nursing homes is a serious problem that can be challenging to handle. Assistance from a seasoned nursing home neglect attorney can be crucial to identifying whether someone you love is being financially abused and demanding fair financial recovery on his or her behalf from the people responsible.

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Common Signs of Financial Abuse Inside a Nursing Home

Financial abuse of a nursing home resident can occur in various ways, from straightforward actions like unlawfully stealing a resident’s debit or credit card to more complex Medicare fraud schemes involving multiple people inside a single facility. Sometimes, financial abuse can also occur through unexpected changes to a resident’s estate planning documents, which a staff member or another resident may have convinced him or her to make, knowing that he or she does not have the mental faculties to understand the changes.

Any unexpected and unexplained withdrawals from bank accounts or changes to important documents should be cause for a follow-up with the resident and possibly law enforcement. Other more subtle signs that financial abuse may be occurring in a nursing home include:

A skilled legal representative could clarify whether a particular circumstance might cause concern and serve as grounds for legal action.

Is Civil Litigation Possible Over Nursing Home Financial Abuse?

Lawsuits and settlement demands over financial abuse in nursing homes work differently from other nursing home harm claims since there is generally no physical injury to build a suit around. Instead, people who suspect financial exploitation of a loved one in a nursing home should collect as much documentary evidence possible and file a report with appropriate state authorities.

In addition to contacting law enforcement over the possibility that a financial crime has occurred, an individual should report suspected financial abuse to the nursing home’s administrator(s), the state Long-Term Care Ombudsman, and potentially the state Department of Health. Knowledgeable legal counsel could offer guidance throughout this process and demand restitution for all financial losses caused by this type of abuse.

An Attorney Could Help Address Financial Abuse in Nursing Homes

Just like physical and mental abuse, you should never tolerate the financial abuse of vulnerable older adults. If you believe your family member has been exploited financially by the people entrusted with caring for him or her, help is available from a dedicated legal professional with experience helping families through complicated situations.

You should not try to handle financial abuse in nursing homes alone. Contact our legal team today to discuss your options.