Exploitation of the elderly: What to look for

Here are some indicators of financial exploitation of the elderly, according to the National Center on Elder Abuse:

• Sudden changes in bank account or banking practice, including an unexplained withdrawal of large sums of money by a person accompanying the elder;

• The inclusion of additional names on an elder's bank signature card;

• Unauthorized withdrawal of the elder's funds using the elder's ATM card;

• Abrupt changes in a will or other financial documents;

• Unexplained disappearance of funds or valuable possessions;

• Substandard care being provided or bills unpaid despite the availability of adequate financial resources;

• Discovery of an elder's signature being forged for financial transactions or for the titles of his or her possessions;

• Sudden appearance of previously uninvolved relatives claiming their rights to an elder's affairs and possessions;

• Unexplained sudden transfer of assets to a family member or someone outside the family;

• The provision of services that are not necessary;

• An elder's report of financial exploitation.