ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER
Social Isolation Increases Risk
Experts Say Elder Abuse Climbing
Victims Unable To Reach Out For Help
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that 8 out of 10 COVID-19-related deaths in the United States have been among persons 65 or older. But the pandemic’s toll on the elderly is broader than the horrible ravages of the virus itself reported by the CDC. Elder abuse is up too, and while U.S. statistics have not yet been compiled, other countries report tenfold increases in elder abuse cases so far during the pandemic. The elder abuse litigators at Evans Law Firm, Inc. represent California seniors who suffer all forms of elder abuse whether physical, emotional, sexual or financial. If you or someone you live is a victim of elder abuse here Marin County or elsewhere in California call us today at (415)441-8669.
Social Isolation and Increased Dependency
The National Center on Elder Abuse says social isolation is one of the greatest risk factors for elder abuse. Our elder abuse litigators see isolation as a common denominator in the abuse cases they handle too. Family visits with the elderly have been limited during the pandemic and some nursing facilities have prohibited any visits at all. Seniors locked down in their own homes with an abusive caregiver are at tremendous risk of physical and financial abuse. Without the opportunity to look to family or friends for help, seniors in turn become even more dependent on paid caregivers, and the increased dependency can be exploited.
How You Can Protect Loved Ones
The best way to prevent elder abuse is to stay active in a senior’s life, but the pandemic presents challenges as to doing that safely. Follow all recommended safety protocols when you visit. Even at a distance, however, you can take steps for a senior’s protection. Review bank records and bills continually. Run background checks on anyone you allow in their home to help them. Remove all important financial papers, Social Security numbers, ATM cards and credit cards from the home and keep them safely stowed away. Make sure there’s not a lot of cash around, and get receipts for everything. Never allow the senior to give a caregiver a Power of Attorney. If you suspect abuse, notify the authorities but also call elder law counsel, like the lawyers at Evans Law Firm, to help you pursue all available remedies against anyone responsible for abuse, including an award of attorneys’ fees and costs for bringing your suit.
Contact Us
If you or someone you love is the victim of any type of elder abuse in Marin County or elsewhere in California, call Ingrid M. Evans and the other Marin County and California securities fraud and financial elder abuse attorneys at Evans Law Firm, Inc. at (415) 441-8669, or by email at <a href=”mailto:info@evanslaw.com”>info@evanslaw.com</a>. Our attorneys have experience with fraud and financial elder abuse cases and complex qui tam or whistleblower cases including offshore tax avoidance cases, complex financial contract cases and cases against large insurance companies. We can help guide your case through a FINRA Arbitration, jury trial or toward an equitable settlement. We also handle cases involving physical elder abuse, nursing home abuse, whole life insurance and universal life insurance, and indexed, variable, and fixed annuities.
