California Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog
The unfortunate reality is that financial abuse in nursing homes and elder facilities has affected thousands of innocent and vulnerable seniors. In fact, reports show that such citizens lost an astounding $2.9 billion in 2010, a 12% rise from years previous. This blog post aims to highlight certain information regarding elder and nursing home embezzlement—as well as protecting you and your loved ones from it.
Elder abuse can take many forms. In certain instances, some of the perpetrators are individuals who have no relationship with the elder—such as fraudulent telemarketers or identity thieves. Although such persons may have no affiliation with the elders or nursing home members, they still can easily swindle and coax them. Moreover, oftentimes it is the ones closest, such as caregivers or nursing home staff, who are the con artists. Being so close and so trusted, these people have easy access to financial records, credit cards, or even simple cash from the wallet. Also, some nursing home embezzlers have used their residences as a source of funding for miscellaneous desires, such as car or house payments, gym memberships, etc. Hence, financial elder abuse is nothing to be overlooked.
One of the largest determinates in elder financial abuse cases is solitude. The greater degree of seclusion, the more an individual is at risk. It creates an air of vulnerability for elders, as there are very few others able to recognize any symptoms or inaccuracies. Such solitude leaves residents as the ultimate and only decision makers, potentially causing he or she to miss certain financial “errors” or give authorization to terrible decisions. Furthermore, every individual needs companionship and, therefore, the lack thereof can lead to strong relationships with caregivers. In many cases, this is extremely healthy for residents; but in some instances, manipulation and unethical exploitation can occur. It is extremely important that there are family or friends available to reexamine financial records or statements. Spotting a certain oddity can save you or you loved one from losing thousands of dollars along with emotional damages. Thus, a secluded elder can very easily become an abused elder.
Moreover, three other individuals are facing charges for their own role in the elder abuse case. Each of these defendants—former director of nursing Gwen Hughes, former pharmacist Debbi Hayes, and hospital administrator Pamela Ott—worked for the nursing home facility in Lake Isabella. Officials say that Hughes, starting in 2006, allegedly ordered for patients to receive high doses of these psychotropic medications, particularly to Alzheimer’s or dementia suffering patients. The former nursing chief Hughes mandated that the medications be given to patients who argued with her, made noise or were otherwise disruptive; Pormir merely signed off on the orders after the drugs were administrated. Scheduled for October, she will face eight counts of harming or causing the death of an elderly adult and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon. As for Ott, she pleaded no contest last month to a conspiracy charge with here sentencing coming next month.
Having run an unlicensed nursing home, members of this San Jose family now face felony charges for the neglect of a dozen mentally disabled adults. Authorities reported atrocious living conditions, including rotten food, no running water, and defecated floors from untrained dogs. Moreover, Santa Clara County police say that the elderly residents were malnourished, beaten, bathed only once a month, and forbidden to use toilet paper. This monstrous event is sadly one many nursing home abuse cases that California has seen in the past year.
In nursing homes, the inactions and neglect of those responsible can be equally harmful as overt acts and exploits. 
For example, a 31 year-old staff member of the Maple Glen Center, a nursing home community located in Maywood, New Jersey, faces up to fifteen charges for conning an elderly resident. As 
The two victims are still living at the facility where they suffered the abuse. According to the article, the families felt their fathers would be safer there because state officials are closely watching the home. At a new assisted living facility, they worried, abuse might occur again.
