"There's a Growing area in Financial Abuse. Houses have been Going up in Value and people are Interested to Sometimes Get Their Inheritance Early

by Willie Monroe of Channel ABC 7 News


Counties Report Increasing Number Of Elder Abuse Cases Both Physical And Financial


June 4 - KGO - County social service workers say they're encountering more and more cases of elder abuse in all the forms it takes, from physical to financial. They're hoping the governor will include an additional $20 million dollars in his current budget to help them. It may help others avoid similar experiences.

Catherine Card says her experience shows just how vulnerable the elderly can be. The 70-year-old retired nurse gets around with a motorized wheelchair now. She said caregivers who came to her home often didn't want to give her the help she needed. Sometimes they'd steal from her.

Catherine Card, elder abuse victim: "They want to go through your drawers and your dresser drawers, go through your closets, and I've had clothes and things stolen from me."

She found members of her own family also could be predators.

Catherine Card: "My grandson, I had him and his girlfriend staying with me and I had her writing out my checks and I noticed that my checking account was going down low, low, low, low and she was forging checks on me."

Don Kinkead, Adult Protective Services: "There's a growing area particularly in financial abuse. Houses have been going up in value and people are interested to sometimes get their inheritance early." See ABC 7 's Video here >>