Find Senior Care (City or Zip)
Join Now Log In
Q
queensizediva Asked November 2016

What is financial abuse?

Is this financial abuse? My parents have a heath care poa. they were very ill and were in a nursing home. they have private nursing home insurance & medicare. The POA moved them to assisted living facility which was not covered by the insurance, about $3500 mos. as they got sicker the poa hired private care nurses which my parents had to pay out pocket, $500 week average. their combined income was only about $3400mos. the poa used all their cash to cover these expenses, plus they have mortgage and other bills to be paid. as they continued to get sicker, she finally moved them back to the nursing home. now their 90day waiting period started over so they have to pay whatever medicare doesnt. my day was hysterial with worry about this. he has since passed away and there is no money to help my mom except what she gets. when they were moved to asstd living all therapy stopped. these were unnecessary expenses which she new wouldnt be covered because she is a nursing director for the company that owns the assisted living facility they were in.

pamstegma Nov 2016
$3500 a month for two people would be cheap here in Western NY. $500 a week for nurses= $2000 a month. Total $5500 a month for two patients. Good luck finding something cheaper. Honest.

queensizediva Nov 2016
thank you. this is my dads niece. a lpn for 50yrs and nursing director for 15. dad didnt discuss this w me;i lived in another state and i think he thought because she was a nurse and lived here she would be a good choice. but he really didnt know her well enough. and yes, ive started the process of getting a new poa & healthcare poa. her company had just bought this facility, hadnt even closed the loan yet and was half empty. they needed to show more residence for the loan. she moved them there for her companys financial gain. she and the owners knew the nursing home insurance wouldnt cover assisted living. its like an insurance company selling you car insurance when they know you ride a motorcycle. i am also looking into suing her for the unnecessary spending.

ADVERTISEMENT


anonymous281963 Nov 2016
It is a conflict of interest for the POA to have derived any business for her company or financial gain for herself by having them placed in her AL facility.

Why do your parents have a non-family member as POA, if they do?
How was this arranged where this person had no accountabilty to family members?

It creates a red-flag, but may be above board and perfectly explainable.
Not a criticism, but do you now have any plans to shut the barn door after the cows have escaped? Will you be helping take charge and look into this for parents? Bless you in your attempts to inquire-at least someone cares!

pamstegma Nov 2016
No it is not financial abuse. Nursing home insurance has a limited payout. Medicare does not pick up the cost of a nursing home. Selling the house would have helped for a few months. Medicaid then becomes the payer of last resort.

Katiekate Nov 2016
You were not part of the issues or the decision that had to be made. Medicare and insurance do not pay for unlimited time in Nursing homes. They will cease paying after s time, and the patients have to move out. Moving I assisted living is probably the cheapest choice...say, as compared a skilled nursing facility (typical cost would be $6000 a month)

Given the likely hood of the choice confronting the POA...those choices do not look out of line to me.

At this point, if the money is gone..your Mom will qualify for Medicaid and have those expenses covered.

It is abuse if the POA took money and didn't use it for the care of your parents...but that seems to not be the case

ADVERTISEMENT

Ask a Question

Subscribe to
Our Newsletter