Looking for and identifying the signs of abuse of the elderly.
The Washington Post recently discussed the financial exploitation of the elderly in the column “Could caregiving be just a means to the money?“.
A woman wrote the newspaper to ask about her sister who was taking care of their elderly father. The sister was reportedly nasty and secretive to the other siblings. Those are potential signs of elder abuse.
It is a red flag that elder abuse could be occurring if someone who is not normally kind and caring offers to be the caregiver of an elderly person. It does not mean abuse is definitely going on. It could be that the person genuinely does care about the elderly person.
It is also a red flag whenever the caregiver of an elderly person is secretive about how the finances are being handled. If the family members are asking nicely and not being rude, then the caregiver should be willing to discuss the finances with them.
There are many other warning signs of potential elder abuse. A caregiver who is not normally kind to others and one who is secretive about the elderly person’s finances are two of the bigger signs. If you have seen similar signs, then investigate further to make sure nothing inappropriate is occurring.
If you have concerns on the care of an elderly person, an elder law attorney can be helpful in dealing with the issue.
Reference: Washington Post (May 19, 2016) “Could caregiving be just a means to the money?“
