FRAUD I FINANCIAL FRAUD I ELDERLY NEGLECT I SENIOR ABUSE – Nursing Home Abuse, Skilled Nursing Facility Neglect and Hospice Abuse

FRAUD I FINANCIAL FRAUD I ELDERLY NEGLECT I SENIOR ABUSE – Nursing Home Abuse, Skilled Nursing Facility Neglect and Hospice Abuse

November 27, 2020

What is Senior Abuse and What is Elder Neglect?

In the United States more than half a million incidents of elder abuse and elder neglect are reported each year to local authorities, however the vast majority of elder abuse cases and elder neglect incidents go unreported and are never addressed.

Elder abuse and elderly neglect include:

• Elderly Financial Fraud – Elder Financial Exploitation in which caregivers or outsiders unlawfully use elderly funds and property. This comes in the form of misuse of an elder’s financials including credit cards, bank accounts, checks and lines of credit. Further this often includes identity theft of the elderly for the purposes of acquiring credit, property which accompanies forgery of an elderly’s signature.
• Misappropriation of Elderly Funds and Resources – There are many scams targeted towards the elderly included, fraudulent investment ploys, misrepresentations as to advertisements, investments and charitable opportunities. Misappropriation can also occur when caretakers and outsiders are within close physical proximity to the elderly, and they take advantage by stealing cash, checks and valuable goods from the senior’s possession.
• Physical Elder Abuse – The use of physical force against an elderly person resulting in pain, injury or impairment. This can include hitting, shoving, restraint and confinement.
• Emotional Elder Abuse – The use of intentional actions against an elderly to cause emotional distress and/or psychological pain. These actions include yelling, threatening, humiliating, isolating, ignoring, ridiculing, scapegoating and terrorizing an elderly person.
• Sexual Elder Abuse – Physical contact with the elderly without their consent. These actions extend beyond physical touch and can include watching the elderly undress and forcing them to engage in sexual actions with a third party.
• Healthcare Fraud – Unlawful actions carried out by unethical medical providers including physicians, nurses, hospital employees, nursing home staff, hospice caretakers and other medical providers. In such instances, the unlawful conduct can include charging for medical services that were never provided, double billing for a single treatment, overcharging for healthcare, over or under medicating, misdiagnosing, and recommending fraudulent treatment for the providers own financial gain.

Who are Elderly Care Providers?

The demand for elderly and senior care is on the rise. The number of Americans aged 65+ is expected to increase near 25% by 2060. “Senior Care” and “Elderly Care” covers a wide range of services, which includes:

• Nursing homes;
• Skilled Nursing Facilities;
• Skilled Care Facilities;
• Custodial Care;
• Assisted Living;
• Home Care;
• Home Health Care;
• Adult Day Social Care;
• Adult Care Health Care;
• Hospice Care;
• Geriatric Care Managers;
• Independent Living Facilities;
• Senior Living Facilities;
• Assisted Living;
• Skilled Nursing Homes;
• Continuing Care Retirement Communities

What are the Signs of Senior Abuse and Elder Neglect?

Elder neglect and senior abuse can be hard to recognize and can often be confused with typical signs of aging or symptoms of a deteriorating mental health, such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.  Given that the indications of senior abuse and elderly neglect are rather broad, looking for several of these warning signs can be beneficial:

• Signs which indicate Senior Financial Fraud – suspicious withdrawals from the senior’s bank accounts; sudden change in the elderly’s financial heath, new or unprecedented spending; sudden changes in trusts, wills and title to property; adding new signers to financial products; and unnecessary expenditures.
• Signs which indicate Misappropriation of Elderly Funds and Resources – Missing items and cash from a senior’s home or residence.
• Signs which indicate Physical Elder Abuse – Unexplainable injuries, bruising, sprains, broken bones, fractures, and marks on the body which indicated signs of physical restraint.
• Signs which indicate Emotional Senior Abuse – A caregiver’s refusal to allow the senior to be alone with others, changes in the elderly’s confidence, sudden depression, belittling by a caregiver and other forms of public humiliation.
• Signs which indicate Sexual Senior Abuse – Bruising, lacerations and other markings on genitals and private areas.
• Signs which indicate Senior Healthcare Fraud – Double billing, a sudden surge in prescriptions, problems with medical: invoices, billing, payments and records.

If you suspect that an elderly friend or family member was or is subject to elder abuse or senior neglect, you must contact an elder abuse lawyer promptly for the senior’s well-being.  Elder neglect cases are complex and if there is a suspicion, please call our offices today to discuss your matter with a seasoned elderly neglect lawyer at 619-432-5145.

For further discussions on Neglect and Abuse in other settings please see the links below:

• SAN DIEGO DAYCARE ABUSE AND NEGLECT ATTORNEY http://dianalegal.com/san-diego-daycare-abuse-and-neglect-attorney/
• PERSONAL INJURY I DAYCARE NEGLECT I DAYCARE ABUSE – CHILD CARE ABUSE AND DAYCARE NEGLECT http://dianalegal.com/personal-injury-i-daycare-neglect-i-daycare-abuse-child-care-abuse-and-daycare-neglect/

For further discussions on Elder Abuse and Senior Neglect please see the links below:

• FRAUD I CORONAVIRUS FRAUD SCHEMES I COVID-19 SCAMS I ELDER ABUSE I SENIOR FRAUD – Coronavirus Fraud Scams Aimed At 60+ Community http://dianalegal.com/fraud-i-coronavirus-fraud-schemes-i-covid-19-scams-i-elder-abuse-i-senior-fraud-coronavirus-fraud-scams-aimed-at-60-community/
• FINANCIAL FRAUD I SENIOR FRAUD – Seniors More Susceptible To Financial Fraud – Avoiding Senior Financial Fraud: http://dianalegal.com/financial-fraud-i-senior-fraud-seniors-more-susceptible-to-financial-fraud-avoiding-senior-financial-fraud/
• FRAUD I MORTGAGE FRAUD – 3 Arrested In $7 Million California Mortgage Fraud Scheme Targeting The Elderly, 3 Victims Live In San Diego http://dianalegal.com/fraud-i-mortgage-fraud-3-arrested-in-7-million-california-mortgage-fraud-scheme-targeting-the-elderly-3-victims-live-in-san-diego/
• FRAUD I ELDER ABUSE – Elderly More Susceptible To Financial Fraud http://dianalegal.com/fraud-i-elder-abuse-elderly-more-susceptible-to-financial-fraud/
• Financial Elder Abuse: http://dianalegal.com/financial-elder-abuse/