It is a common concept to want companionship, and elders are no exception. Unfortunately, an elder with diminishing capacity can easily become a victim of financial abuse if they and/or their advocates are not careful to watch for the indicators of elder mistreatment. Here are a handful of possible indicators of elder financial abuse to be aware of and look for:

• Unpaid bills, eviction notices, or notices to discontinue utilities.
• Withdrawals from bank accounts or transfers between accounts that the older person cannot explain.
• Bank statements and canceled checks no longer come to the elder’s home.
• New “best friends”.
• Legal documents, such as powers of attorney, which the older person didn’t understand at the time he or she signed them.
• Unusual activity in the older person’s bank accounts including large, unexplained withdrawals, frequent transfers between accounts, or ATM withdrawals.
• The care of the elder is not commensurate with the size of his/her estate.
• A caregiver expresses excessive interest in the amount of money being spent on the older person.
• Belongings or property are missing.
• Suspicious signatures on checks or other documents.
• Absence of documentation about financial arrangements.
• Implausible explanations given about the elderly person’s finances by the elder or the caregiver.
• The elder is unaware of or does not understand financial arrangements that have been made for him or her.

– The National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse