Expert offers tips for families to avoid problems with home health aides

by Brittany Johnson

 ARLINGTON, Mass. — A senior citizen spent his final years under the control of his home health aide, lost more than a million dollars in the process, and now a fraud expert shares how you can try and protect your loved ones from the same kind of elder fraud.

5 Investigates first reported on Dr. Louis Braida, who was a world-renowned MIT professor until, by 2019, age and three strokes took their toll and he began to need help with his daily living.

That's when Fatumata Jaitha stepped in and became his home health aid. Before long, Braida gave Jaitha his power of attorney and she controlled his care, communication, and cash.

That, according to Alice Diamond, a volunteer with AARP's Fraud Watch Network, should have been a huge red flag.

"I cannot imagine the circumstances under which a caregiver should ever be given power of attorney for the person that they're taking care of," Diamond said.

Diamond said there are simple steps families can take to try and help prevent exploitation by home health aides.

"Go to a bonded licensed agency," Diamond said. "Once you've hired the person, monitor what they're doing, stop in regularly. Have a doorbell camera so you see what time they're coming and going. Keep all financial information away from them."

The warning signs often start small, she said, such as when a home health aid starts working independently or gets too close personally.

"As soon as the person starts freelancing on their own, that's a major red flag because as soon as the connection with the company they work for is gone, so is any legal protection or resources that the company had," she said.

The state's Executive Office of Aging and Independence tracks elder abuse complaints, and they're rising.

Last year, the state investigated 36,662 reports of abuse.

"We need to get people to be aware of the resources that are available," Diamond said.

But Braida's sister, Mary Massey, expressed anger at just those resources. She spoke out to 5 Investigates out of frustration that her efforts to get authorities to intervene were unsuccessful. She first complained to Arlington police and Minuteman Senior Services in late 2019, and made other calls in 2020, but it wasn't until 2022 that authorities stepped in to freeze his assets and begin investigating Jaitha's role.

Arlington police said they referred Braida to numerous agencies for help.

Kelly Magee Wright, executive director of Minuteman Senior Services, said she could not comment on any particular case but told 5 Investigates that agencies like hers operate under multiple laws and regulations that govern seniors’ right to self-determination, consent and what she called “decisional capacity.”

A spokesperson for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Aging & Independence said the agency also could not comment on any specific case but said education and early detection were key to preventing financial exploitation.

"That’s why Massachusetts continues to expand its work with financial institutions, community organizations, and the public to raise awareness about financial exploitation and how to report it. The state has strengthened training for workers in financial institutions and enhanced reporting systems so that concerns can be identified and acted upon more quickly,” Aging & Independence Secretary Robin Lipson said in a statement.

As part of a lawsuit filed by Massey, Jaitha admitted to having a sexual relationship with Braida, taking $1.4-million from him, which included a $300,000 annual salary, and admitted she "improperly exercised undue influence and control over Dr. Braida for personal gain."

Jaitha settled the lawsuit and agreed to pay Braida's family $500,000.

Braida died in September 2022. He was still in Jaitha's care at the time of his death.

---

The state Executive Office of Aging & Independence, or AGE, provided the following information about agencies providing home care and support services:

• Certified home health care agencies, which provide nursing, skilled therapies, and home health aide services, are regulated by the state Department of Public Health
• Home Care agencies (which do not provide skilled health services, but focus on other in-home supports such as meal preparation, personal care assistance, and companionship for people with cognitive impairments) provide services to support AGE’s Home Care consumers and are verified through the AGE review process
• Agencies that do not provide services to AGE consumers are not necessarily licensed or certified
• A home health aide is paid, and a family caregiver is unpaid.
• Learn more about family caregivers here

The state Executive Office of Aging & Independence investigates cases of potential abuse where the individual is 60 or older and lives in Mass. and in the community as opposed to a long-term care setting. Information about how to contact protective services can be found here. Reports can be filed online or by calling (800) 922-2275.

The Office of Aging & Independence has also issued guidance for how to prevent elder abuse, including tips for avoiding scams and how to keep yourself or a loved one from being vulnerable to abuse. 

Full Article & Source:
Expert offers tips for families to avoid problems with home health aides