Signs of Elder Abuse

Elder abuse is, unfortunately, a common occurrence in the United States. As many as five million older Americans experience abuse every year. Abuse comes in many forms, including physical, emotional, and financial. Financial abuse is especially rampant in the country–experts estimate that elderly Americans lose at least $36.5 billion collectively each year to financial abuse.

Below, we discuss many of the signs that may indicate your family member is being subjected to financial scammers or abusers. If you have any reason to suspect that your elderly loved one is being taken advantage of or otherwise subjected to abuse, it’s important to act quickly to preserve their health, their finances, and their well-being. Call our West Palm Beach elder law and estate planning attorney today for advice and assistance.

Who Commits Elder Abuse?

Elder abuse encompasses a wide range of abusive conduct that affects the health, mental state, and financial well-being of older individuals. When it comes to financial abuse specifically, any number of people may be the perpetrator.

Elderly patients in nursing homes may be taken advantage of by nurses and other staff members upon whom they’ve come to rely. A distant family member, or even an unscrupulous child, grandchild, or sibling may try to financially manipulate the elderly person. Scammers can reach elderly people on the phone or over the internet and trap them in schemes that drain their retirement accounts and other savings. Sometimes, complete strangers will enter nursing homes and pretend to know the patients in order to get close to them and manipulate them out of their finances.

If you hear of any suspicious activity, or unusual individuals exerting undue influence over your elderly loved one, speak with an experienced elder abuse lawyer to discuss your options and protect your family.

Signs of Elder Financial Abuse

Elderly individuals are often prey to con men and financial scammers. They are more vulnerable to manipulation by the people around them because they put their trust in their caregivers, friends, and family for their well-being. They may be less experienced with modern technology and other matters, and dementia and other conditions can render them especially susceptible to manipulation and coercion.

If you have any reason to suspect your elderly loved one may be the victim of elder financial abuse, call a zealous elder law and elder abuse attorney to protect your family and your well-being. Some of the signs that elder financial abuse may be taking place include the following:

• Unusual activity in the patient’s bank accounts, such as large, unexplained withdrawals
• Sudden, out-of-character changes to the patient’s will and other estate plan documents
• New accounts suddenly arising, especially jointly-controlled accounts
• Unpaid bills racking up
• Sudden changes to the patient’s power of attorney
• Withdrawal of funds from retirement accounts, CDs, or other savings accounts even though withdrawal carries penalties
• Attempts to wire large sums to unknown accounts
• Unusual repeated transactions, including withdrawals or wire transfers
• New credit cards with unpaid balances
• Uncharacteristic financial behaviors by the patient, such as ATM withdrawals when the patient never used the ATM before, unusual wire transfers, large purchases, credit cards, etc.
• Checks signed with suspicious signatures
• Withdrawals from previously dormant accounts
• Patient discussing a new “friend” who wants to go to the bank with them
• Bills and account statements no longer going to the customer’s home
• New caretaker or friend conducting transactions on behalf of the elderly person without authorization

Call Shalloway & Shalloway, P.A., for Elder Law, Guardianship, and Estate Planning Help

An experienced West Palm Beach elder law attorney can help you protect yourself and your loved ones. We’ll preserve your assets against financial scammers, creditors, and government taxes to the greatest extent possible. If you are in need of a compassionate, seasoned Florida asset protection and elder law attorney, contact the dedicated West Palm Beach elder law attorneys of Shalloway & Shalloway at 561-686-6200.