Elder Law

Woman is sentenced for Financially Exploiting Elderly Man

By Levin & Perconti

A woman who was convicted in June of financially exploiting and neglecting the care of an elderly man was sentenced to probation. While the judge believed that the woman was responsible for the financial abuse she also felt that the state bore as much responsibility for the elder abuse and neglect. The judge believed that the victim should have never been placed with the woman in the first place. The man had resided in the nursing home where the woman was employed, but in 2005 the family allowed the victim to move in with the employee, her husband and children. There was no regulation from the state, and the employee only needed the word of the elderly man in order to take over the man?s care and receive his Social Security payments. When the man was removed from the woman?s home, he was dehydrated, malnourished and covered in bed sores. It was evident that the man had not been receiving care for about nine months. This story highlights the need for more state oversight when it comes to the care of the elderly. To read more about the financial abuse, please click the link.

Full post as published by Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog on August 23, 2009 (boomark / email).