what to do if you suspect your caregiver is stealing

Taking more than than intendance

Without the help of my paid caregivers, I tin't get out of bed. I put my life in their hands every twenty-four hours, and that's why it was such a slap in the face when 1 of my aides stole my work laptop.

It's been well-documented that individuals with disabilities are victimized by crime, including burglary/theft, at much higher rates than the residual of the population. In fact, we're often targeted specifically because of our disabilities.

Despite this, most people don't remember about the problem of theft perpetrated by a caregiver until it happens to them. I guess I am "virtually people," considering I never idea any of my caregivers would steal from me.

Whether you live lonely, like me, and have a multitude of part-time caregivers — in my instance, for myFriedreich's ataxia (FA) — or live with family and but demand a few paid caregiving hours here and there, it's important to be aware of the possibility of having something stolen by a caregiver.

Be proactive. Don't wait until it happens to you.

Do your homework

Whether using a dwelling care agency or hiring an contained caregiver, it's important to practice your research to make sure that you're getting a reliable person. Of course, no 1 knows improve than me that this isn't a foolproof method — but due diligence is still required on your function.

Home care agencies are responsible for fingerprinting and screening to make certain potential aides don't have criminal records or other complaints against them.

When selecting a home care agency, ask how they screen potential caregivers, how many theft accusations they've had in the past and how they've handled them. Will they replace stolen items? Amy Nelson, founder and CEO of Authentic Home Care in Otsego, Minn., says that her agency reports theft accusations to the government and cooperates nonetheless possible. The caregiver is suspended until the investigation is over. If found guilty of theft, the caregiver is fired and reported to the Department of Human being Services.

Afterward you've picked an agency, it's notwithstanding wise to interview caregivers they assign to the task. If yous don't feel comfortable — at whatsoever time that the person is working for you — tell the agency that this person is not the right match for you.

When hiring an aide without going through an agency, spend the time and coin to cheque them out, advises Lisa A. Lieberman, a licensed clinical social worker, family unit advisor and author of A 'Stranger' Among Us: Hiring In-Home Support for a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorders or Other Neurological Differences . She stresses checking references, especially ones from previous employers, and scheduling a face-to-face interview before making a decision.

A criminal background check is 1 way to brand sure that applicants are who they say they are. For example, SentryLink will bear a background cheque on an individual and send the results via electronic mail for effectually $20.

Unfortunately, these precautions aren't enough to guarantee you won't get ripped off. Detective Mike Cruce of the Oro Valley, Ariz., police department, who solved the case of my missing laptop, warned that merely considering the prospective caregiver doesn't have a criminal record doesn't mean that yous still can't be victimized by them.

But ask my caregiver, who had no criminal record when she stole my laptop.

Trust your instincts

Nearly people try to make a good showtime impression, and then keep in mind that caregivers need to earn your trust and maintain it by beingness reliable over time. If you develop an uneasy feeling about a caregiver and aren't quite sure they can be trusted, you could be right.

Anybody in the household should exist comfy with the caregiver. If y'all live alone, ask visiting family members and friends for their opinions of the caregiver and how she/he interacts with you.

In my case, my caregiver the laptop thief was shy but likable at the beginning — simply after a few weekends with her, I began to wonder if I could trust her. Information technology wasn't one particular thing she did merely a strange feeling that entered the room along with her. I began to secretly look later on my wallet. She started showing upwards belatedly, or not coming at all, and her excuses were hard to believe.

At that time, I should have called the bureau and requested some other caregiver. But I figured I was stuck with her, considering the bureau had been having trouble finding a caregiver to work in my part of town. This is a very real issue for people with disabilities nationwide; many people have personal care attendants who are abusive considering there is no 1 else to fill the gap.

Next fourth dimension, I volition make any uneasy feelings known to the agency.

Don't exist so darn nice

The trick is to exist comfortable with the caregiver, only not also comfortable, says Nelson. The aforementioned goes for caregivers: They demand to feel comfortable in your dwelling house, only not so comfortable that personal boundaries are crossed. For case, nigh agencies have rules against caregivers accepting loaned money, whether it'due south solicited or non. Even if you don't utilize an agency, it'southward ever wise not to let caregivers borrow coin or important items.

When James Kelley, who hasfacioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), loaned one of his caregivers his very expensive leather-spring King James Master Study Bible, he never imagined he'd take a problem getting information technology back, because "who's going to steal a Bible?"

The caregiver in this case asked to borrow his Bible for a couple of days, only later on weeks went by and she nonetheless hadn't returned it, Kelley, 44, confronted her. She assured him that she would bring information technology back. Afterwards a calendar month passed and still no Bible, he called the domicile health agency, which contacted the caregiver — but she still didn't bring information technology back.

That's when Kelley, who lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, contacted his example manager, who brash him to call the police and file a report. He felt strange about filing a study over a Bible, just the detective assured him that, "If you don't get some of these people when they're taking small-scale amounts, and so they continue to push the envelope and see what else they tin get away with."

Kelley somewhen got his Bible back afterwards the detective told his caregiver that Kelley would press charges against her if she didn't return it. The detective warned that she didn't desire it on her tape, particularly since she'south a health care worker.

Kelley concluded up asking the caregiver not to come back.

Even trustworthy caregivers can forget they borrowed something. Consider this scenario: Yous lend your paid caregiver a book and, for practical reasons, keys to your house, but then due to everyday circumstances — a movement, a career change, etc. — the caregiver stops working with you before the items are returned.

In the example of the house keys, the all-time manner to prevent that scenario is to never give the caregiver a permanent gear up. Instead, buy a key lockbox, like those used by real manor agents, and hang it on your forepart door handle with a key or keys inside. When a caregiver arrives at your home for work, he or she just punches in the code to the lockbox and retrieves the cardinal — and so returns it to the lockbox after opening the door. The lockbox code is easily changed, significant you lot don't need to modify your locks every fourth dimension yous alter caregivers.

Protect your stuff

Detective Cruce says it'southward peculiarly important for those with multiple caregivers, or with a "revolving door" of caregivers who are new each time, to secure their valuables. Having multiple caregivers definitely complicates theft investigations, making it difficult to pinpoint who'due south responsible for missing items.

When she started using a home intendance agency in 2006 due to heramyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Fern Cohen, of Rego Park, Due north.Y., was sent different caregivers every day. When her make-new digital camera was stolen, the bureau wouldn't practice anything because she couldn't prove who stole it, even though Cohen knew who was working the day she institute information technology missing.

"[The revolving door] was my principal reason for switching from bureau care to self-directed care," says Cohen, 58. She at present has a handpicked staff of four trustworthy caregivers.

(Self-directed care means that people with disabilities accept decision-making say-so over sure services, and accept straight responsibility in managing their services, including personal care aides. Self-directed services may not be available in every country and may vary from country to state. Check with your state's Medicaid program or your personal insurance for more details.)

After the digital camera incident, Cohen also realized she could accept measures herself to avert enabling theft in her domicile. So to safeguard her valuables — from otherwise trusted optics equally well equally the hands of strangers — she bought a prophylactic.

But theft is not limited to physical possessions. Exist sure to monitor bank accounts and credit card charges and look for anything unusual. Staying enlightened of your financial situation and transactions may help detect a theft. Likewise, hibernate of import documents and consider storing duplicate copies in a safe identify with family members or friends.

For example, Kelley learned the hard way that it's wise to ever asking a receipt when the caregiver returns from shopping for yous. He gave one of his caregivers his food stamp card to become to the store for him ane afternoon, and she didn't bring back a receipt.

"Information technology was a red flag when she didn't bring back a receipt, so I waited until she left and went back over to the store with my food postage stamp card, and I told them that I needed them to run an audit on the card," Kelley says.

Within a few days, the shop provided an itemized computer printout that showed his caregiver had purchased $x worth of items for herself.

Even if people take the precautions mentioned here, some may find it comforting to also monitor caregivers with nanny cams or webcams. This option tin be very expensive and fourth dimension-consuming, and so enquiry this technology and its associated costs earlier deciding if information technology's correct for you. (Also, consult an attorney, or familiarize yourself with state laws governing video surveillance and voice communication before recording annihilation.)

Pause the cycle

As for my stolen work laptop, I didn't even know it was missing until I received a call from the back up coordinator at the agency where my caregiver worked request: "Are you missing a laptop reckoner?"

I went to check under my bed (not a good hiding spot), all the while thinking, "If it's missing, she stole it."

My support coordinator said that the whereabouts of my laptop were still unknown but that my caregiver'due south ride had called the bureau and reported that she had bragged about stealing it from below my bed. My support coordinator also told me that my caregiver had quit the day before.

I decided to press charges against my caregiver thief because I didn't want this happening to anyone else. Subsequently, I heard from the prosecutor that she had similar charges before, which were dropped past the customer. The fact that she already had a 2nd risk and blew it made me feel a little amend about pressing charges.

A few days later, Detective Cruce returned my work laptop subsequently convincing my now former caregiver that the guess would go much easier on her if she relinquished information technology.

"Theft is not uncommon for people who are vulnerable," says Cruce, adding that every country has laws to assistance protect people who are vulnerable to corruption due to their age or disability. "Theft from a vulnerable adult is a crime by itself," he continues. "So not simply do you go charged with theft, but you also get charged with theft from a vulnerable developed; therefore, the consequences could be doubled."

Equally of this writing, my former caregiver had received a $25 fine and was sentenced to 36 months of probation, during which she'southward not allowed to accept any contact with me. Theft from a vulnerable adult will announced on her record.

Be prepared — but in instance

It's impossible to avoid getting ripped off. It happens to everyone, simply it's fifty-fifty more upsetting when you have a disability and you're paying and relying on the culprit to help you live more independently. People with disabilities face the additional difficulty of having to go rid of a vital caregiver often without having another qualified person to instantly replace him or her.

Nosotros love our caregivers. They are, literally, the reason we tin can leave of bed every morning. Most of them are dedicated to their caregiving jobs and are totally trustworthy.

Simply it's smart to be prepared in case one of them decides to pull a fast one.

Minimizing Stranger Danger

Assuasive a "stranger," even a professional caregiver with skilful references, into your dwelling house tin exist a scary proposition. Only deciding when and how to piece of work with exterior caregivers is far less daunting if you assess your options and perform due diligence to evaluate candidates for the position. Lisa A. Lieberman's A 'Stranger' Amongst The states: Hiring In-Home Support for a Kid with Autism Spectrum Disorders or Other Neurological Differences  offers readers, especially parents, tips on how to do just that.

Lieberman, of Oswego, Ore., is a licensed clinical social worker and family counselor as well as an writer and speaker. Visit disabilityinthefamily.com for more details on her volume.

MDA's Tips for Success: Hiring a Personal Care Attendant

Caregiver theft tin and does happen. But you significantly meliorate your odds of avoiding such incidents by thoroughly vetting candidates for your personal care bellboy. To that terminate, MDA offers a list of tips and questions, all submitted past members of the MDA community, to consider when "Screening, Interviewing and Selecting Personal Care Attendants."

The questions comprehend a range of relevant topics — from a prospective bellboy'southward experience and aptitude to his or her situational awareness and general disposition.

For the full listing, visit mda.org/Tips_for_Success/Interviewing_PCA.

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Source: https://www.mda.org/quest/article/preventing-and-dealing-theft-hired-caregivers

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