Safeguarding people with dementia from financial abuse Jill Manthorpe (1), Kritika Samsi (1) and...

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Safeguarding people with dementia from financial abuse Jill Manthorpe (1), Kritika Samsi (1) and Karishma Chandaria (2) (1) Social Care Workforce Research Unit, King’s College London (2) Alzheimer’s Society, London Experiences of Respondents Our research •EviDEM study with Alzheimer’s Society: explores problems faced by people with dementia and carers in the UK in terms of money management and constructs of financial abuse in order to develop relevant policies and responses to these risks This report/article presents independent research commissioned by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under its Programme Grants for Applied Research scheme (RP-PG-0606-1005). The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health. EviDEM www.evidem.org.uk Background to study: •Dementia can severely affect ability to manage money, due to confusion, capacity issues, memory problems, problems with using technical financial management tools •Person with dementia may be isolated, trusting of strangers, capacity to recognise danger may be impaired, not deemed a credible witness •Carers may face barriers when helping, such as banks’ security systems, password-protected tools •Sensitivity of topic may leave financial abuse undetected, unreported •Mental Capacity Act may provide safeguards: encourages people to plan in advance through appointing Lasting Power of Attorney, overseen by Office of the Public Guardian Methods: Mixed Methodology Qualitative Quantitative • 192interviews +12 dyads •6 focus groups •150 online questionnaires •Survey of 86 Alzheimer’s Society staff Thematic analysis Statistical calculations to determine trends Frequency of money management issues in day-to-day work? Frequency of suspected financial abuse involving a person with dementia Who would you report a suspected case of financial abuse to? How would you rate your knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act? Change in relationship with money: leaving it unattended, not shielding pin number, no understanding of how much things cost Personal situation: living alone, isolated, open access to strangers, trusting Evidence of internal or external influence: withdrawal of large sums, changes in structures in home, change in legal documentation, presence of strangers at home MICRO level: what clients and carers can do to prevent abuse •Draw up a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) to manage their money when they were no longer capable of doing so •Place limits to frequency of withdrawals/ direct debit, but balance individual's rights •Engage with community networks like neighbours, bank staff MESO level: what services/professionals can do to identify abuse •Practitioners should be accessible, with good inter-disciplinary working relationships shared procedures with local Police, family carers, and other services •Training around financial capabilities in dementia •Remain risk and abuse aware and raise safeguarding alerts early •Encourage early planning MACRO level: what private agencies, banks, post offices and society can do •Regular spot checks, regular auditing, paper trail of receipts, checking of accounts, and keeping finance and care decisions separate •Banks, financial institutions and post offices to be more alert to suspicious behaviour, such as unusual withdrawals of money from accounts, and sudden changes in joint account status. •Better data sharing arrangements between different bodies, like banks and social services Signs of financial abuse PREVENTIVE STRATEGIES R esponse count 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 (5% )N ever (18% )R arely (< 3 cases/year) (29% ) O ccasionally (3-6 cases/year) (48%)Frequently (>6 cases/year) R esponse count R esponse count 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 (17% )N ever (51% )R arely (< 3 cases/year) (27% ) O ccasionally (3-6 cases/year) (5%)Frequently (>6 cases/year) R esponse count R esponse count 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 (61%)Yourline m anager (39%)Localauthority responsible forlocal safeguarding procedures (0% )N otreportitas the person asked you notto R esponse count R esponse count 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 (13% )Very good (41% )Good (38% ) Adequate (8% )Poor (0% )Non existent R esponse count

Transcript of Safeguarding people with dementia from financial abuse Jill Manthorpe (1), Kritika Samsi (1) and...

Page 1: Safeguarding people with dementia from financial abuse Jill Manthorpe (1), Kritika Samsi (1) and Karishma Chandaria (2) (1) Social Care Workforce Research.

Safeguarding people with dementia from financial abuse

Jill Manthorpe (1), Kritika Samsi (1) and Karishma Chandaria (2)

(1) Social Care Workforce Research Unit, King’s College London(2) Alzheimer’s Society, London

Experiences of Respondents

Our research•EviDEM study with Alzheimer’s Society: explores problems faced by people with dementia and carers in the UK

in terms of money management and constructs of financial abuse in order to develop relevant policies and responses to these risks

This report/article presents independent research commissioned by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under its Programme Grants for Applied Research scheme (RP-PG-0606-1005). The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health.

For further information, please contact: Jill Manthorpe ([email protected]) or Kritika Samsi ([email protected]) .

EviDEMwww.evidem.org.uk

Background to study:•Dementia can severely affect ability to manage money, due to confusion, capacity issues, memory problems, problems with using technical financial management tools•Person with dementia may be isolated, trusting of strangers, capacity to recognise danger may be impaired, not deemed a credible witness•Carers may face barriers when helping, such as banks’ security systems, password-protected tools•Sensitivity of topic may leave financial abuse undetected, unreported•Mental Capacity Act may provide safeguards: encourages people to plan in advance through appointing Lasting Power of Attorney, overseen by Office of the Public Guardian

Methods: Mixed Methodology

Qualitative

Quantitative

• 192interviews +12 dyads•6 focus groups

•150 online questionnaires•Survey of 86 Alzheimer’s

Society staff

Thematic analysis

Statistical calculations to determine trends

Frequency of money management issues in day-to-day work?

Frequency of suspected financial abuse involving a person with

dementia

Who would you report a suspected case of financial abuse to?

How would you rate your knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act?

Change in relationship with money: leaving it unattended, not shielding pin number, no understanding of how much things cost

Personal situation:living alone, isolated, open access to strangers, trusting

Evidence of internal or external influence: withdrawal of large sums, changes in structures in home, change in legal documentation, presence of strangers at home

MICRO level: what clients and carers can do to prevent abuse

•Draw up a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) to manage their money when they were no longer capable of doing so•Place limits to frequency of withdrawals/ direct debit, but balance individual's rights•Engage with community networks like neighbours, bank staff

MESO level: what services/professionals can do to identify abuse•Practitioners should be accessible, with good inter-disciplinary working relationships shared procedures with local Police, family carers, and other services•Training around financial capabilities in dementia•Remain risk and abuse aware and raise safeguarding alerts early•Encourage early planning

MACRO level: what private agencies, banks, post offices and society can do•Regular spot checks, regular auditing, paper trail of receipts, checking of accounts, and keeping finance and care decisions separate •Banks, financial institutions and post offices to be more alert to suspicious behaviour, such as unusual withdrawals of money from accounts, and sudden changes in joint account status.•Better data sharing arrangements between different bodies, like banks and social services

Signs of financial abuse

PREVENTIVE STRATEGIES

Response count

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

(5%) Never (18%) Rarely (< 3cases/year)

(29%)Occasionally (3-6

cases/year)

(48%) Frequently(>6 cases/year)

Response count

Response count

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

(17%) Never (51%) Rarely (< 3cases/year)

(27%)Occasionally (3-6

cases/year)

(5%) Frequently(>6 cases/year)

Response count

Response count

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

(61%) Your linemanager

(39%) Local authorityresponsible for local

safeguarding procedures

(0%) Not report it as theperson asked you not to

Response count

Response count

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

(13%) Verygood

(41%) Good (38%)Adequate

(8%) Poor (0%) Nonexistent

Response count