Stealing from Nursing Home Patients
So many people have entrusted the care of their elderly loved ones to nursing homes. However, it is a sad truth that many nursing home patients are abused by the workers who are supposed to be taking care of them but end up stealing from nursing home patients. Recent statistics show that nursing home abuse is not all too uncommon. In fact, it is estimated that 1 in 3 nursing home patients are subjected to verbal, physical, and sexual abuse.
Many may think of nursing home abuse and neglect as only physical. Probably because it is the easiest to see, but financial abuse and stealing from patients is another form of nursing home abuse in which many patients become victims without anyone finding out.
Recently, the authorities in New York delivered a sentence of up to four years in state prison to a home health aide who robbed thousands of dollars from elderly patients.
The accused assistant was found to be victimizing older women and stealing from them since July of 2008. It was determined that she swindled an estimated $340,000 from an 84-year-old elderly patient by writing checks from her bank account. She was finally caught when workers at the patient’s bank noticed that there was activity on the account that was usually stable. The bank alerted the authorities about the suspicious activity, and the aide was arrested and received a conviction of second-degree grand larceny, as well as third-degree criminal tax fraud. In this reported case, the aide got caught. Many nursing home care workers are getting away with stealing from elderly nursing home patients every day.
Sadly, this type of nursing home abuse can have grave consequences to the patient. The abused patient can not only face the loss of finances and personal possessions, but they could potentially experience the loss of the care that they require. Unlike physical abuse, the signs of financial abuse are not as clearly visible. If you do have a family member who is a resident of a nursing home, it is important that you be keenly aware of any signs that may indicate financial neglect. Things to look out for include:
Money being transferred from accounts without explanation
Living conditions and care below what the resident can afford
Checks that are frequently written out to a particular caregiver or financial institution
Missing personal belongings
If you believe that your loved one is a victim of physical abuse by his or her caregivers, a nursing home negligence attorney can help determine the best course of action to take.
Contact The Bongiorno Law Firm for a free consultation.
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