When older adults move into assisted living facilities like nursing homes, their standard of living and safety depend on the care they receive. The individuals working at the facility may control everything from how frequently your loved one can go to the bathroom to when they receive their meals.
The more physical impairments and cognitive issues your loved one has, the more vulnerable they are, which is why those with significant care needs often require residential care. Some people who work at nursing homes may try to exert undue influence on residents so that they inherit part of their estates after they die.
Caregivers are in a position to unfairly influence their charges
The people who work at nursing homes are in a position of authority, which they can abuse by coercing people into actions they don’t really want to undertake. Undue influence in a nursing home could take on multiple forms.
It might involve an employee building a rapport with a resident specifically because that individual has substantial personal resources. By making it seem like the fulfillment of their work duties is actually an expression of friendship and by frequently talking about financial hardship and how much they need help, these workers may guilt and manipulate vulnerable older people into undermining their legacy for the benefit of someone who is only doing their job.
Some people will take the abuse one step further and directly use their position to threaten residents if they don’t receive some kind of financial benefit, like money from their estate. Withholding pain medication, making people wait to go to the bathroom and not allowing someone to see visitors could all be inappropriate forms of control and abuse that a professional caregiver employs to manipulate someone into changing their estate plan.
Your family can fight back against that elder financial abuse
It is generally a good idea to take your loved one seriously if they complain about someone at the nursing home withholding care from them. Similarly, it’s important to remain aware of any changes your loved one makes to their estate plan, especially if it benefits a professional rather than someone who has always been a part of the family.
Spotting the signs of financial nursing home abuse can help you advocate for your loved one and hold manipulative financial abusers accountable for their efforts to prey on older adults.