Couple 'grooming' lonely elderly people.

I have direct knowledge iof this my aunt had a carer when my uncle died this carer became my aunts ‘best friend’ / ‘daughter she didn’t have’ (no children) She did errands and stuff for my aunt but the only ‘taking out’ I heard of was taking her to pick her pension up !! The ‘lady’ I use the word sarcastically had a new car and a big family holiday When my aunt was taken to hospital in her last few weeks, my dad went to visit her and was refused permission to go to her bedside because he was told he wasn’t her next of kin on looking into things we found that this carer had put herself down as next of kin and when my auntie died there was nothing left in her bank After my uncle died earlier he had left my auntie about £15,000 it was all gone as was many things from her flat …she had had the keys
We went to a police/ solicitor, my dad was heartbroken, but they assured us there was nothing we could do because she was of sound mind and had obviously wanted to give this money to her carer
We had to let it go

As PinkCosmos stated, the couple were wardens, but are not any more. I definitely smell a rat here! Not one, but two elderly people have changed their wills in this couple’s favour. I would not hesitate in reporting it to the Age UK organisation or the Safeguarding Team at Adult Social Care, as recommended above. It would also be a good idea to have a word with the senior warden where they were previously employed. Genuine people, offering kindness and friendship, would not wish to inherit from elderly people they’ve supported. Please let us know the outcome. ?

Here is the link to the Elder Abuse line. www.thenationalcareline.org/AccessingHelp/ActionOnElderAbuse

Ring them up and ask for advice.

lemsip

*The couple were wardens on a warden patrolled small estate.*
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I thought warden patrolled bungalows were council and Housing Association Properties!.....

I think that as your DH is talking about it with others it should be reported to see if there is any truth in it....

see who employs the Wardens who patrol and report your suspicions

Warden controlled housing is typically associated with private housing estates with a designated support person (warden) living on-site. This person is responsible for providing security for the estate and for seeing to emergency situations that occur amongst estate residents e.g. a fall, broken appliances in the home, other medical emergencies etc.

Sheltered accommodation is normally provided by private developers but residents can apply for sheltered housing via their local council. It is a broader term that can include warden controlled housing

www.carezee.co.uk/supportandinsights/what-is-warden-controlled-housing-everything-you-need-to-know-2022

Yes, excellent advice.
They will have come across just this type of situation before, I'm sure, and will know the legalities of what may or may not be abuse.

Do you have firm evidence to support your suspicions, or is it just hearsay?
Be very careful when you accuse people.

eazybee

Do you have firm evidence to support your suspicions, or is it just hearsay?
Be very careful when you accuse people.

Yes, especially if the people being allegedly targeted are not relatives.

You could just seek advice without being specific.

It sounds as though there’s enough circumstantial evidence to interest the police.

Could you contact social services, or phone police help line as they may have a department that deals with this ... before any comments this could well end up as a crime preying on vunerable people ... contact the company that employs them ... even Google abuse for vulnerable people ... I am sure someone somewhere can help ... yes praying on the elderly & vulnerable for their own gain !!!

I would certainly get some advice as to the best way of getting this looked into PinkCosmos.

Awful that people working in a protective role might have targeted vulnerable people like this. There surely should be rules whereby people who work with the vulnerable are not allowed to benefit from the whole estates of those they care for. It used to be quite usual for people to leave a small bequest to people when it was felt they had done far more than could be reasonably expected but a whole estate??? I wouldn't think that would be usual without a bit of pressure. My dear old aunt, quite well off, left a small gift of £3000 for her 'dear friend and cleaner who had gone above and beyond in her care'. When my nephew turned up at her door with the cheque and a large bouquet she was absolutely overwhelmed. A truly genuine person who had no expectations whatsoever. I think that is the kind of thing which more often happens when there is no coercion involved.

I am watching much the same going on near me. It is suspicious in my mind if a person who is in contact with elderly and or disabled people and houses suddenly change hands without ever going to the housing market.
These are people employed by the NHS including nurses and other staff and others who deal with vulnerable people. If they dont get their own way life suddenly becomes difficult in various ways such as "accidentally" and persistently limiting the lives of others. Police dont seem to get it however it is elder abuse!
Time to take these situations seriously.

I'm not sure what is going on here PinkCosmos you say that the couple care for the elderly people who have no other relatives. They are not being unkind or taking any inheritance from relatives. Can you tell me what the problem is ?

I find it a bit complexing, too.
Leave it to charity, or leave it to people who have treated you kindly, taken you out, cooked for you, in the absence of anyone else stepping up to help out.
It appears a pretty good arrangement, particularly in light of peoples views on going into care homes.

Perplexing. That's it.

That's what I thought MissA are we missing something?

Callistemon21

It is a tricky one.
Unless the elderly people are not of sound mind I doubt there is anything that can be done.

I've seen more than one case of this, in one case the person was about the same age but died before the widow he targeted.

Haha, Karma got him!!

Yes, people are entitled to leave their assets to whoever they choose.
But being coerced into doing so by unscrupulous people who might target them is wrong and possibly illegal.

It's not just happening to older people, I've seen it happen to widows and divorcées who have been left with nothing, not even the house they owned.

If the elderly in question have no relatives, or none that they ever see, and maybe haven’t for years, then I don’t see much wrong with them leaving their assets to anyone who’s helped/been kind to them.

I can’t help thinking of more than one case on Heir Hunters, where some lone old person who’d been befriended and helped by neighbours, sometimes for many years, failed to make a will, and so all their assets passed to someone who didn’t even know - or barely knew - of their existence.

These kinds of things do happen to people other than the elderly.

As so rightly said, widows, widowers, lonely people.

We don't call the police about it though, if the people have no dysfunction in their decision making.

Just because people are older, there is no reason to assume they are somehow unable to decide things.

One way of knowing if people are grooming the elderly for their own benefit is when the old person dies and it turns out that there is a Will and that they have not been smart enough to know when family have been in or out of the house and then they find out that the house etc has been left to a close relative. When that relative moves into the house the way these types treat the relatives shows that they are angry that they did not get their hands on house or money.

If you help someone it should be for entirely altruistic reasons, that they need help and you feel for them, that they are your friend, or a neighbour.

If someone cares for someone simply for the money they hope to inherit, the sooner they are ousted the better

It's certainly a good money making scheme, but not necessarily illegal.

MadeInYorkshire is right it should be reported to safeguarding team or Trading Standards. I have had study days on the same subject because as District Nurses going into the homes of elderly patients we are often confided in or able to pick up on unusual activity happening to our clients and this would absolutely come into that category. The people delivering the study days were police, safeguarding and social care teams and very clear about what we had to report and what failing to report would mean. If you were found to know something and not report it that would mean being investigated and possibly disciplined. Adult protection along with child protection training is routinely given every 3 years at least and mandatory with new scams added as they appear. These people are criminals out to gain for themselves despite the appearance of caring. Your DH is correct in what he thinks.

ElaineI It looks as you might be a district nurse. You state clearly that district nurses are confided in and can see if things are happening. How would you deal with it if it was a district nurse who was doing this? Several houses bought from those at end of life or going into full time care. All sellers were high 80s to over 90. None of the house sellers lived more than a year after the sale. Next they speak to an older person who inherited the house from one of their targets and try to get them to sell the house to a person of their choice. Other than that conversation they never speak to the older person but they have been doing things to cause the old person extra stress.
In the same health board area we are told we must never "mistreat" nurses.
Your views would be of interest