Elder care abuse doesn’t have to be physical or emotional. It can also be financial. Control over a person’s accounts may fall to someone inside of the nursing home to ensure regular payment out of a retirement fund. Sometimes nursing staff get caught embezzling funds placed in their trust.
One worker tried to steal $4000 from several different trust fund accounts in a facility in Alabama. The worker changed the records to make it seem like co-workers were members of the family. Once that was done she could write checks out to them. In total, nine checks were written out according to investigators.
However, she was caught by others in the facility and immediately reported to the police. She and several of the accomplices have been arrested and charged.
If a patient doesn’t have the cash to cover their care, then they could get moved out of the facility or lose access to certain drugs. A responsible family who suddenly has to figure out why the trust fund is low can be put in a major bind, or even a life-threatening one for their family member.
If you believe someone is embezzling from a nursing home trust fund, that is a form of elder abuse. Contact Schenk Smith Trial Attorneys for a consultation about your situation. We can help.
