Elder Financial Abuse: Warning Signs, What It Is and How to Stop It

FraudsWatch.com
Financial Elder Abuse

<h2 id&equals;"abuse-the-warning-signs" class&equals;"rb-heading-index-0-28013">Abuse&colon; The Warning Signs<&sol;h2>&NewLine;<p>There are a number of different ways <strong>elder abuse<&sol;strong> can occur&period; Some of the signs that this abuse is occurring include&colon;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em>Withdrawal from activities&comma; lack of alertness or unusual behavior Physical injuries such as blisters&comma; burns or pressure marks that do not have an explanation to fit the pattern Unexplained sexually transmitted diseases or bruising around the breast or genital areas Poor hygiene&comma; weight loss or the need for medical care A change in wills&comma; trusts or financial accounts<&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>If you have concerns about any of these types of abuse&comma; ask questions and keep on top of the situation&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<h3 id&equals;"who-is-at-risk" class&equals;"rb-heading-index-1-28013">Who is at Risk&quest;<&sol;h3>&NewLine;<figure id&equals;"attachment&lowbar;28014" aria-describedby&equals;"caption-attachment-28014" style&equals;"width&colon; 490px" class&equals;"wp-caption alignright"><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;fraudswatch&period;com&sol;elder-financial-abuse-warning-signs-what-it-is-and-how-to-stop-it&sol;financial-elder-abuse-2&sol;" rel&equals;"attachment wp-att-28014"><img class&equals;"wp-image-28014 size-medium" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;fraudswatch&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2016&sol;05&sol;Financial-Elder-Abuse-2-490x315&period;jpg" alt&equals;"Financial Elder Abuse" width&equals;"490" height&equals;"315" &sol;><&sol;a><figcaption id&equals;"caption-attachment-28014" class&equals;"wp-caption-text">Financial Elder Abuse<&sol;figcaption><&sol;figure>&NewLine;<p>The risk factors of <em>elder abuse<&sol;em> have a wide range&comma; therefore it is possible that anyone can be affected by this&period; There are some elders&comma; however&comma; who may be more likely to suffer abuse&period; These elders include those that have a lack of support networks&comma; who suffer from a mental impairment and who have caretakers that have personal problems such as finances or alcohol abuse&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<h3 id&equals;"could-it-be-selfneglect" class&equals;"rb-heading-index-2-28013">Could it be Self-Neglect&quest;<&sol;h3>&NewLine;<p>Abuse may not be occurring from the outside&comma; but elders who are no longer able to take care of themselves might be prime targets for abusers&period; Self-neglect includes elders who have a lack of basic needs&comma; refuse medications&comma; are hoarding&comma; have poor hygiene and prefer isolation&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<h3 id&equals;"what-are-the-laws" class&equals;"rb-heading-index-3-28013">What Are the Laws&quest;<&sol;h3>&NewLine;<p>There is currently no federal law that <em>protects elders from abuse<&sol;em>&period; There are laws in each state that do deal with the issues of exploitation&comma; neglect and abuse&period; From state to state&comma; the laws vary by who is protected-from those that live alone or with family to those who are residing in long term care facilities&period; Many states have clear cut laws on criminal penalties for <strong>elder abuse<&sol;strong>&period; Laws outside of the realm of elder abuse may also apply&comma; <em>including rape&comma; assault&comma; fraud or domestic violence&period;<&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>If you see elder abuse happening&comma; call local police or adult protective services immediately&period; When you need to find information&comma; call the U&period;S&period; Administration on Aging&&num;8217&semi;s Eldercare Locator at &lpar;800&rpar; 677-1116&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<h3 id&equals;"what-should-you-expect-after-reporting" class&equals;"rb-heading-index-4-28013">What Should You Expect After Reporting&quest;<&sol;h3>&NewLine;<p>You will first be asked to give your story and any information you have on the elder suspected of being abused&period; Most states take anonymous reports&comma; but some may ask for your information for follow up questions&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Once an investigation begins&comma; it will be Adult protective services &lpar;APS&rpar; investigating the initial reports&period; If they find abuse&comma; APS will work with a number of agencies to ensure the safety of the victim&period; Law enforcement will get involved when the situation involves a criminal act&period; If the elder is not mentally capable of making their own decisions&comma; a court may appoint a conservator or guardian&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<h2 id&equals;"elder-financial-abuse-what-it-is-and-how-to-stop-it" class&equals;"rb-heading-index-5-28013">Elder Financial Abuse&colon; What It Is and How to Stop It<&sol;h2>&NewLine;<p><strong>Elder <a class&equals;"wpil&lowbar;keyword&lowbar;link" href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;fraudswatch&period;com&sol;tag&sol;financial-fraud&sol;" title&equals;"financial" data-wpil-keyword-link&equals;"linked" data-wpil-monitor-id&equals;"551">financial<&sol;a> abuse<&sol;strong> &&num;8211&semi; it&&num;8217&semi;s an issue that &&num;8216&semi;s been around as long as the elderly have had property and money&period; Normally&comma; an elderly person is sixty-five years or older&comma; and is also known as a senior citizen&period; The crime is a term for the misuse of the funds acquired by them&period; Along with funds&comma; exploitation of a person&&num;8217&semi;s property and resources also can be considered abuse&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Even though the crime has been around for several years&comma; it had been only given nationwide attention in recent times&period; In 2011&comma; famous Hollywood actor Mickey Rooney sued a stepson for alleged abuse&period; Public awareness grew after the revelation of his case&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>A study carried out by a primary international insurance provider said that close to three billion dollars a year is lost thanks to the crime&period; This is due to the many various tactics utilized by the bad guys to steal from senior citizens&period; Recognizing the abuse is fairly easy&period; However&comma; a number of cases happen within families&period; And unless other parties get involved&comma; instances wouldn&&num;8217&semi;t see the light of day&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>What is regarded as elder financial abuse and who is guilty of it&quest;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The term is actually a blanket term for a wide range of criminal activities&period; These crimes involve the use of trickery&comma; deception&comma; and coercion to access the funds&comma; resources&comma; and properties of a senior citizen&period; People that are typically found guilty are caregivers&comma; fraudsters&comma; and sorry to say&comma; family members&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Examples of exploitation committed by these folks include&colon;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<ul>&NewLine;<li><strong>Misuse of personal checks&comma; credit cards&comma;<&sol;strong> and other financial accounts<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<li>&NewLine;<p>It&&num;8217&semi;s usually performed by <strong>forging the signature<&sol;strong> of an elderly person&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<li>&NewLine;<p><strong>Stealing of cash&comma; pension checks&comma;<&sol;strong> and other prized possessions&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<li>&NewLine;<p><strong>Identity theft <&sol;strong><&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<li>&NewLine;<p><strong>Senile individuals<&sol;strong> often become a victim of this kind of attack&period; Devious people take advantage of the fact that the elderly are confined to homes or nursing facilities&period; Thankfully&comma; bank fraud lawyers take the necessary actions to fight such problems<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;<p>You cannot assume all sinister acts are done by singular individuals&comma; however&period; You can find cases when even healthcare is used as a tool to extort income from the elderly&period; These companies take advantage of an elderly person&&num;8217&semi;s fragile state of mind&period; Healthcare provider and other scams include&colon;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<ul>&NewLine;<li><strong>Special &&num;8220&semi;prizes&&num;8221&semi;<&sol;strong> for senior citizens that must be purchased&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<li>&NewLine;<p><strong>Charging excessively<&sol;strong> for healthcare that isn&&num;8217&semi;t provided&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;<p>Elder financial abuse takes place simply because of a senior citizen&&num;8217&semi;s lagging mental capacity&comma; especially those that are senile&period; Isolation also plays a role in the abuse&period; Typically&comma; victims are widows or widowers&period; Statistically&comma; women are especially vulnerable to abuse&period; Research has shown that women live longer than men&period; The elderly women that live longer than their companions typically belong to a generation where the male was the one who handled the finances&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;When you know somebody who may be a victim of this kind of abuse&comma; it would be best to tell the authorities&period; In instances where you personally know the family and are concerned about being called an intruder in family issues&comma; you can find anonymous hotlines you could call&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;

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