ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER
Caregiver Sentenced After Guilty Plea
Alleged Theft Of Jewelry, Money And Drugs From Residents
Withholding Medications From 44 Seniors
Seniors residing in nursing homes and other care facilities may be at risk of physical abuse and neglect and at the same time financial abuse by those caregivers entrusted – and paid – to care for them. A recent arraignment, discussed below, illustrates how nursing home residents may suffer multiple forms of abuse from the same caregiver. Abusive conduct inflicted on a senior make constitute various crimes and grounds for civil liability against the actor, anyone assisting the actor, and persons charged with supervising the actor. See, e.g., Penal Code § 368 (crime of elder abuse); Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code §§ 15610.30(a)(definition of financial elder abuse), 15610.57 (definition of neglect), 15610.63 (definition of physical elder abuse). Evans Law Firm, Inc. represents victims of financial elder abuse from any source, be it caregivers, trustees, bookkeepers, persons with Powers of Attorney and others. Call us today at (415)441-8669 or TOLL FREE 1-888-80EVANS (888-503-8267) if any senior loved one has suffered any kind of financial elder or dependent adult abuse in Alameda County or elsewhere in California.
Caregiver Arrested For Multiple Forms Of Abuse
In one recently reported case,[1] a retirement center caregiver was arrested after admitting to stealing money, jewelry, and drugs from dozens of residents over the last few years. In the initial stages of a police investigation the caregiver admitted to stealing a total of 275 pieces of jewelry from residents from various care facilities over the course of six years. She also admitted to withholding vital medication from 44 residents whom she was caring for. She was charged with 55 counts of first-degree criminal mistreatment and elder abuse, 44 counts of tampering with drug records, five counts of second-degree theft and six counts of third-degree theft. Over the course of the six years, the suspect worked at 8 different facilities and admitted to stealing jewelry, drugs and cash from residents at all eight facilities. Following a guilty plea to several counts, the caregiver was sentenced to two months in jail, three years supervised probation, a permanent bar from employment as a caregiver and was ordered to pay restitution to her victims, according to reports.
Preventing Elder Financial Abuse And Theft
If you have a loved one in a care facility, make sure their jewelry, cash and other valuables are in a safe place away from the reach of any caregiver. Keep all financial information like account numbers and Social Security numbers away from a caregiver’s glance. Never, ever grant a power of attorney to a caregiver. Visit your older loved one as regularly as you can to see firsthand how they are doing. If you detect any change in their physical condition or behavior, alert the administrator of any facility where they reside. Accompany older loved ones whenever they go shopping or go to the bank or have any sort of meeting about financial matters. You can be there to protect them from outright theft and the problems they may get into if they are sold an unsuitable investment or insurance product like an annuity. Perhaps most important of all, if you suspect anything wrong, do something about it right away.
Contact Us
Ingrid M. Evans represents elder and dependent adults in Alameda County and throughout California who are victims of any kind of financial exploitation or other abuse. Ingrid can be reached at (415) 441-8669 or TOLL FREE 1-888-80EVANS (888-503-8267), or email us at <a href=”mailto:info@evanslaw.com”>info@evanslaw.com</a>.
[1] Evans Law Firm, Inc. was not involved in the reported case in any way.
