Suppose you have noticed your loved one’s personal items are out of place or seem to be consistently disheveled and rearranged. In that case, it could be a sign of a bigger problem—including potential theft and financial exploitation. Often, Miami nursing home theft incidences expand beyond the bounds of simply stealing valuable jewelry and personal property. However, missing items could be the small first clue.
Due to their vulnerability, nursing home residents can easily fall prey to financial exploitation and theft. If a nursing home employee has (or is currently) financially exploiting your loved one, a Miami missing money or personal items lawyer may be able to help you with your case.
Pintas & Mullins Law Firm want to hear from you and help you and your family get justice. Call us today for a free consultation at (800) 842-6336. We might be able to assist you in filing a lawsuit against those responsible.
If we do represent you in legal proceedings, there will be no charge unless we win you a settlement or verdict award. If your loved one has been exploited or victimized, it should not be tolerated. The guilty parties should be held accountable.
How Elderly People Can Fall Victim to Manipulation
Nursing home residents are a particularly vulnerable population. Many residents are lonely, have lost spouses, siblings—even children—and crave affection, and a close social connection to others. It may be easy for those residents to fall victim to conning nursing home staff that prey on vulnerable, dependant people.
Your loved one may believe that in helping a nursing home employee financially, they are forging an emotional connection and a “special bond” with said employee. Elderly residents may be manipulated into financially “helping” staff who claim to be struggling or suffering through a family emergency, for instance. An employee may play the victim going through hard times. Residents may be tricked into offering staff financial help to solve these problems that do not exist.
Fabricated Stories Can Be Hard to Catch
Keep in mind that con artists who do this can be extremely adept at theft and financial exploitation. Manipulating elderly residents into giving them valuable items and money may be the sole reason they work in nursing homes. The thief may have been doing this for many years to many residents and might be especially good at manufacturing scenarios that evoke an emotional response from people.
- A nursing home staff member with children may use said children to manipulate residents. They may try to elicit sympathy with comments about buying their kids food or clothes.
- A staff member may create false tragedies or emergencies regarding the status of their life, education, access to transportation, etc.
- The staff member may claim to be lonely and without aid
- They may verbally covet your loved one’s possessions
For a free legal consultation with a Missing Money or Personal Items Lawyer serving Miami, call (800) 842-6336
Bribery
Bribery is another method an employee may use to force a resident into giving them money, jewelry, or other personal items. Nursing home employees are well aware that their residents are fully dependent on them for their every need. If your loved one may be bribed into offering up money or personal items to prevent their caretaker from harming them or withholding certain basic needs.
Worse, your loved one may be afraid to report the abuse to you because that may also have been part of the bribe. Your loved one may have been told that if they report the theft and financial exploitation to you or anyone else, they will be abused, neglected, or suffer some other form of harm.
You should pay close attention to your loved one’s mood. If they seem more anxious or afraid of any particular employee, you should be alert to the fact that there could be an issue. Be especially vigilant if you have noticed money or personal items missing, or your family member does not speak to you about their change in behavior or lifestyle.
Suppose you are concerned that your loved one is being bribed or manipulated into giving their money and personal items away. In that case, a Miami missing money or personal items lawyer might be able to help.
Miami Missing Money or Personal Items Lawyer Near Me (800) 842-6336
Theft and Financial Exploitation
Staff who manipulate or bribe residents may:
- Ask to “borrow” expensive jewelry,
- Give a resident their ATM card and PIN, if they do not have access to cash or checks
- Force a resident to write checks for them
- Manipulate residents into changing their will, adding them in as a beneficiary
There have also been cases of nursing home management embezzling money from residents’ payments. If you have received charges for extra “fees,” or it seems like your account is consistently behind (though you have made all of the required payments), it could be a sign that an employee is stealing the money you intended to pay for your loved one’s care.
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Things to Look For
If you are lucky enough to be able to visit your loved one regularly, try to observe any strange staff behaviors or things that seem uncomfortable or “not right.” A guilty staff member may be worried that your loved one will open up to you about the situation and lurk nearby. They might also make awkward comments about how “helpful” or “caring” your loved one is.
Try to ask your loved one about anyone they seem to have forged an emotional connection with. Be aware that your loved one may not want to open up to you about the situation, so you might have to rely on your intuition or your loved one’s body language.
If you are concerned about missing money or personal items, a Miami missing money or personal items lawyer may be able to help. Pintas & Mullins Law Firm offers all potential clients free consultations, so call us today at (800) 842-6336. We might be able to file a lawsuit that will help you get justice. You pay us nothing unless we win your case.
You may have a limited time to file a lawsuit under Florida Statutes (FS) §400.0236.
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