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Elder abuse; stopping elder financial exploitation.

Elder abuse; stopping elder financial exploitation.

A common case we often handle for our clients is reporting elder abuse. When older adults find themselves in nursing homes, they occasionally find themselves been abused or maltreated by the personnel. More critical is financial exploitation of the aged or elderly. Exploitation of the elderly can through illegal means or even through formation of documents that put an aged to a disadvantage. We understand that such issues are not easily reported and when done, take time to investigate. It is our aim to speed up the process to deliver quick and needful justice for our client when they suffer abuse. Either long or short term exploitation, any firm of elder abuse is discouraged.

To quickly report elder abuse, kindly call the Florida Department of Elder Affairs any time of day or simply contact our elder law attorney closest to you.  You will be asked to explain what happened and the persons involved. Florida Statues, Chapter 825 provides that intensified abuse of an incapacitated or older adult is a first degree felony, while Neglect that results in obvious bodily harm, disfiguration or disability is a second degree felony.

How to avoid financial exploitation.

There are several ways to avoid elder abuse especially as in the case of financial exploitation.

Talk to an elder lawyer

Individuals who perpetuate any form of exploitation usually act on the ignorance or lack of information of an individual. As such you need to protect yourself. Get an elder lawyer, talk to them about any form of abuse and ask questions as regards any documents. Silence in case of exploitation may be treated as content. Rather than let any abuse go on, contact an elder law. Elder lawyer are vast with dealing with any elder law issues.

Create proper estate plans.

Estate plans ensures that only your wish on any of your assets or finances are implement. Financial exploitation would easily be avoided when you make the right estate plans. Asides protecting you from exploitation, a proper estate plan allows you dictate who handles your estate should become incapacitated and unable to do so. Perhaps, you might be thinking how can you ensure that even your loved ones avoid exploitation on any benefits (estate, assets, bank accounts) you leave to them; a proper estate plans is the safe haven. Why do you make this proper estate plans according to the state laws in Florida? You need an estate lawyer or an elder law who specializes in handling estate planning as well as elder law issues.

Avoid exploitation on your healthcare by getting a Medicaid plan.

Over the years, we have worked with the elderly of all class in Medicaid and long-term care planning. Contrary to what most people think, Medicaid is not something for only the poor. Sometimes people save so much on retirement only to later realize the huge cost of home-health care, assisted living, and skilled nursing home care. The middle and upper middle class who do not qualify for Medicaid are even worse off. They may have to spend down their wealth and wait 5 years before they can qualify for Medicaid benefits.

But our strategies are targeted at making these services affordable and accessible to the elderly regardless of class, and protecting their assets to ensure that they have something to pass on to their surviving loved ones.

Report any elder financial exploitation.  

If you or your loved one who is an elder suffers abuse from anyone, be it a child, relative, or personnel in a home care facility, do not hesitate to contact and report your case to the Florida Department of Elder Affairs any time of the day. On their request, you must give detailed information regarding the abuse and the persons or parties involved. Note that the whole thing is confidential, so you need not worry about the accused knowing and abusing you all the more.

Get help from an elder law attorney Florida

Sadly, the majority of the accused parties of elder abuse cases are the relatives of the elder. According to a report by the Florida Department of Children and Families, the majority of those accused of elder abuse are the children, grandchildren and other relatives of the older adult. This is sad but expected. However, about 2 out of every 10 cases occur in a home facility.

Sometimes, you and your loved one would require more than just investigation, but also legal back up in litigating your elder abuse case, especially when you are going up against a reputable home. Whatever the case is, kindly contact our Florida-based law office to obtain legal help from an elder law attorney.