Older adults living in nursing homes may resent their circumstances. They may have wanted to remain in their primary residence for the rest of their lives or to move in with family members when their support needs increase.
Unfortunately, many older adults require more support than family members can provide. Nursing homes help close the gap between what aging individuals require and what the people they know can offer. At a nursing home, older adults receive assistance with everything from daily grooming to medication administration.
The adults living and nursing homes are relatively vulnerable, as the people providing their care can abuse them. Some nursing home residents exaggerate or fabricate complaints of abuse, but others report real mistreatment only for people to ignore them. Financial abuse is a common concern raised by nursing home residents.
How can families evaluate such complaints effectively?
Recognize that financial abuse is common
The first thing families need to do when responding to complaints of financial abuse is to acknowledge how common it is for nursing home professionals to engage in financial misconduct. Many of them receive low wages and have to work very complicated jobs. They may steal from residents out of desperation or bitterness.
Illinois has seen a noticeable increase in the number of financial abuse reports involving nursing home residents as victims in the last few years. Just because a loved one resents moving to a nursing home does not mean they lied about mistreatment there.
Validate their complaints
Family members who hear complaints of financial abuse are often in a position to investigate. They can make an inventory of their loved one’s assets to determine if jewelry or other valuable items have disappeared. They can also go over financial records with a fine-tooth comb.
Some nursing home financial abuse involves the misappropriation of physical property. Other times, workers may take cash or write themselves checks. They might steal a credit card from someone’s wallet or purse to make a few charges and then return the card. Additionally, they could complete purchases for the resident but add personal items to the invoice that they retain for themselves.
A thorough review of assets and financial records may produce evidence that nursing home workers have taken someone’s property or abused access to their financial resources.
Take immediate action
Cases involving the financial abuse of an older adult can potentially escalate when the worker involved becomes overconfident or to desperate. Family members can report the issue to not just the nursing home but also to state regulatory authorities. They may also have grounds to take legal action against the nursing home or the specific professional stealing from their loved one.
Recognizing financial abuse as one of the most prevalent forms of nursing home elder abuse can help people advocate for their loved ones. Nursing home abuse can include theft from residents and other forms of economic mistreatment.