Residents in nursing homes are quite vulnerable. They often can’t physically leave the facility and depend on staff members for their basic needs. Some workers will neglect the residents in their care, but some will engage in abusive behavior toward nursing home residents.
People worry about physical and emotional abuse, but financial abuse is also a common issue in nursing homes. It can take many forms, including all three of the behaviors below.
Stealing money or physical property from residents
Some staff members at nursing homes will outright steal from residents. They might take wedding rings or pinch money out of purses while people are in the shower. Some will even write checks to themselves in a resident’s name or borrow a credit card, use it several times and then bring it back.
Threatening to withhold services if not given additional compensation
Some people will use their caregiver position at a nursing home to extort the people in their care. They may demand payments or gratuities from the people that they care for and threaten to mistreat someone or even withhold food or medication if they don’t receive what they request.
Exerting undue influence to benefit from someone’s estate plan
Some people at nursing homes will try to befriend the residents, possibly trying to interfere in their relationships with their children or other close family members.
By making themselves seem like the only person who cares about an older adult, they might convince that senior to change their estate plan, naming them as a beneficiary. Other times, they may try to gain someone’s pity (and money) by telling possibly fabricated stories about a lifetime of personal hardship.
If someone seems to have stolen from your loved one or manipulated them, you can act quickly to protect them from mistreatment in a nursing home.
