It is a sad fact that most people who financially exploit the elderly get away with it. They often find it so easy that they do it time and time again. Each time the Exploiter becomes more and more bold. They act as though they are entitled to this money and no one else deserves it. This is why they must be prosecuted. There will be another victim.
Prosecuting these crimes is difficult for the State Attorney because of how it is done. In my career as a Professional Geriatric Care Manager in South Florida I have noticed a definite step-by-step process, almost a formula, that these Exploiters use to separate elders from their life savings. In many cases the Exploiter actually gets permission from the elder to take their money. Because of this, it can be argued that the elder "allowed" their assets to be taken and therefore, no crime took place. Furthermore, to argue that an elder was easily influenced by the Exploiter is to imply that the elder is incompetent and perhaps should not be in control of any of their finances. Few elders want to admit that. Instead they justify the theft or even cover it up. Once the elder realizes that they have been victimized, they may feel responsible, guilty or embarrassed. Few will testify against the one who stole from them.
Full Article and Source:
When Seniors are Financially Exploited by Friends, Family and Caregivers
6 comments:
The author of this article may not realize it, but is explaining guardianship exploitation!
Family, friends, and caregivers are not the biggest group of exploiters of the elderly.
When family exploits, it hurts to the core and those cases are given media attention.
But in courtrooms across the country, lawyers and guardians are exploiting the elderly and nobody's watching. And the person who is charged with watching is rubberstamping the exploitation.
This article gets my ire up!
No, no, NO - quit pointing at family and caregivers.
Most family takes care of their loved ones. Most caregivers do a good job too.
There are a few who don't.
A FEW --- not a swarm of family and caregivers as this article would have us believe.
The truest statement in this article is "It is a sad fact that most people who financially exploit the elderly get away with it."
Yep. Bad guardians and attorneys finacially exploit their wards and get rich doing it.
The elderly are afraid to testify against their exploiters because lawyers attempt to rip them apart and tear them up.
The case in Florida a month or so ago where the victim testified against her perp. The attorneys had a good time trying to tear her to pieces. But, they didn't get their job done. She stood firm.
Most elderly people don't stand firm. Ageism has convinced them that they're not as smart as they once were, or can't remember, etc.
Financial exploitation is overall pretty easy to prove.
Follow the paper trail - follow the money.
These crimes could be proven if the authorities took an interest in the victims.
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