Obenshain Law Group serves clients in the Shenandoah Valley and across Virginia and we join in the recognition of June as Elder Abuse Awareness Month. This recognition helps keep the issue of elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation on the community’s radar.
The federal government estimates that the costs of financial fraud against seniors exceed $2 billion annually. According to a recent elder needs survey, nearly one in five Americans aged 65 and older have been victims of elder financial abuse. The survey claims that over $36 billion is lost each year to financial exploitation, criminal fraud and caregiver abuse. 
Elder abuse can take many forms, from neglect and abandonment to financial, emotional, physical or sexual abuse. Unexplained bruises or injuries are signs of elder abuse. Victims can also become withdrawn, depressed, agitated or stop taking part in activities they enjoy.
If you believe that a friend or family member has been the victim of financial exploitation, consider visiting with a professional such as a CPA or an attorney to discuss possible solutions to the problem. In severe cases, especially where there might be potential physical abuse along with financial abuse, call the police or Adult Protective Services.
The attorneys and staff at Obenshain Law Group have considerable experience working with families to protect parents or other family members from exploitation, to help them contact the proper authorities and to recover assets that have been wrongfully transferred and to set aside or contest wills and trusts that have been wrongfully or fraudulently procured.