Abuse

Abuse

Over recent years, the issue of abuse of the elderly has risen in prominence. Such abuse can take the form of physical or psychological abuse but financial abuse has also become widespread. Those who take advantage range from family members to professional fraudsters, and it is quite likely that many instances go unreported and unseen. However, there are methods that can be adopted to prevent abuse and, in the case of financial abuse, to recover assets.

Financial abuse—detection and prevention

In recent years, abuse of the older client has become a topical issue. While the public perception may be that this is confined to physical abuse, there is, nonetheless, evidence of growing if not hidden financial abuse. This can take various forms and is often difficult to spot because those that are doing it are family members. In some cases, those abusing the older person may have the legitimacy of a lasting power of attorney (LPA) or enduring power of attorney (EPA), whether registered or not.

There are causes of action that can arise as a result of such abuse, such as undue influence and fraud, that can lead to

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