Nursing homes have an obligation to protect the patients who live there. Their patients are often among the most vulnerable, made up of the elderly and disabled.
Among the abuses that the elderly may face is financial abuse. This kind of abuse isn’t always as obvious as other types, especially if the family members of the elder aren’t yet in control of their finances.
Financial abuse can be anything from a nursing home worker picking up an item for the elder and not giving them back their change to using their credit or debit cards to make their own purchases. Sometimes, people claim that they had permission, but it’s unethical for anyone in a nursing home environment to take from a patient.
What can be done to help prevent the financial abuse of an elderly person?
One thing that you may want to do is to set up limits on the person’s card. For example, you can talk to the bank and let the bank know approximately how much money your loved one spends each month. When an unusual purchase is made, the bank can place a call and verify that it was intentional or made by the elder. If not, then they can, at the very least, alert you to the fact that more money was spent than normal, which may help you track down those taking money from a loved one.
Our site has more on nursing home abuse and what you can do if you believe that your loved one has been abused or taken advantage of by staff members.