A female carer is alleged to have stolen $1.2 million from an unsuspecting Victorian man who believed they were in a relationship, in a “devastating” case of financial elder abuse. The man, who will be referred to as William for legal reasons, was in his early 80s when he met the woman at a casino around six years ago. The pair quickly became inseparable. “Everywhere he went, she went,” William’s friend John recalled. William was a lonely man, according to John, and he relied on his carer for company. As a consequence, he developed strong feelings for her, despite an age gap of around 30 years. “It got to the stage he thought she was his girlfriend,” John said, “So if you said anything about her, he would jump down your throat.” William had long ago appointed John as his decision-maker using an enduring power of attorney document. As he grew closer to his carer, however, he added her name to the document, ensuring she would have joint access to his bank accounts if and when he lost capacity. John did not worry about this at the time. “I got to know the woman and she assured me she was looking after him,” he said. William, who was blind, later suffered a fall and was moved into a nursing home when it was decided he could no longer support himself. A phone call from William’s nursing home was the first sign of any trouble with his finances. A staff member informed John that his friend had not paid his fees for many months. Knowing these payments had been the responsibility of William’s carer, John was suspicious and contacted the law firm Slater & Gordon. “Then we checked his bank accounts and we found out that a fair bit of money had come out over the preceding couple of years,” he said. In fact, more than $1.2 million had gone missing. Lawyer Jessica Latimer, who has handled numerous cases involving financial elder abuse, said it was “a huge amount”. According to Ms Latimer, the carer had a cheque book and would regularly ask William for his signature. “(William) was blind and he trusted her so he was signing blank cheques and she would fill in an amount.” The carer would also visit the bank in person to make withdrawals, citing William’s power of attorney document. The disappearing funds left William without enough money to pay for his own room at his nursing home and he was forced to share with another resident. It was, recalls Ms Latimer, “a devastating situation for our client to find himself in”. When John called the carer to put these allegations to her, she denied everything, he said, and insisted she was acting on William’s instructions — a claim William denied. Ms Latimer believed William would have a better chance of recovering the stolen money if he pursued the bank, rather than the carer. She was able to establish that the bank had in its possession the power of attorney document, which clearly stated her client had two decision-makers. That means none of the transactions should have been allowed without the permission of both William’s carer and his friend John. Additionally, under anti-money laundering legislation, any withdrawals greater than $10,000 must be reported to federal authorities. “We discovered that hadn’t occurred,” Ms Latimer said. “Certainly the transactions ought to have raised eyebrows.’ Presumably to avoid a public courtroom battle, the bank reached a settlement with William. The details are confidential, however, which is why the bank cannot be identified. The exact amount of money that was repaid to William also remains a mystery, but Ms Latimer said more than $500,000 was recovered. Although he was unable to recoup all his losses, William was advised by his friend John to move on with his life.
September 23, 2016
A carer failed to visit a wheelchair-bound man to assist him with his usual nightly routine due to a “mix up” with the rosters and he was found dead the next day, a Perth inquest has heard. Leslie Troy Ovens, 32, was living independently in a purpose-built house with his care provided by Cam Can and Associates when he died in July 2013. The West Australian Coroner’s Court heard on Wednesday carers routinely visited Mr Ovens twice a day – in the morning and night. At 5pm on July 24, carer Tony McCabe visited the house and made Mr Ovens dinner, even though he wasn’t on shift. Mr McCabe testified Mr Ovens told him he was unsure who was coming to assist him that night. “I said ‘somebody will be coming, don’t worry’,” he told the court. But no one did.
September 23, 2016
The Australian Medical Association (Act) Limited is dealing with a s.394 (Application for unfair dismissal remedy) instigated by an ex-staff member (Ozolinis).
September 23, 2016
Police have charged a man with a number of offences after he produced a knife and assaulted staff at a medical facility in South Brisbane overnight. It is understood that Mater Hospital security staff were notified of the man after he was refused service due to his behaviour about 7.40pm in the reception area. It is alleged that the 28-year-old man produced a knife, threatened security staff and threw a chair and coffee table in the direction of two staff.
September 23, 2016
BUPA Australia is facing a s.739 (Application to deal with a dispute) lodged by a staffer (Kalsi).
September 23, 2016
Former gaming attendant, Kim Colgrave, was overcome with emotion as she spoke of a career change to the disability sector and what it had meant. Ms Colgrave and seven other jobseekers participated in Devonfield Enterprise’s ‘Get Set for Work’ in the disability industry training program, which aimed to inspire people to look at disability care as a job option. “This course has brought the best out in me, it’s somewhat of a life changing experience. I didn’t have any idea of what was involved but through undertaking it I have made the decision that I want this as a career,” Ms Colgrave said. Project manager Karin Febey, of Devon Training and Employment Services, the provider of the Department of State Growth’s Work and Training Pathway Pilot program for demand led industries, said the disability sector was undergoing major reform in relation to the provision of disability support and care.
September 23, 2016
An application for approval of the Howard Solomon Therapy Assistants Enterprise Agreement 2016 (s.185 – Application for approval of a single-enterprise agreement) will be heard by Commissioner Lee in his Hobart chambers today.
September 23, 2016
Ms Sharmain Naicker has failed in her application for more time to pursue an unfair dismissal claim against South Eastern Sydney Local Health District T/A Royal Hospital for Women.
