Home Care Assistance - Toronto/York Region Weighs in on Arrest of Toronto Housekeeper After 94-Year-Old Was Defrauded of Life Savings
Toronto, Canada (PRWEB) April 17, 2014 -- Home Care Assistance - Toronto/York Region (HomeCareAssistance-Toronto.com), the leading provider of non-medical in-home senior care in the Greater Toronto Area, is releasing an expert opinion on the recent arrest of a Toronto housekeeper and her husband after they defrauded a 94-year-old victim of her life savings.
In early April, a 32-year-old woman and her 38-year-old husband, both from Toronto, were arrested in connection with an elder abuse and fraud investigation after a 94-year-old woman lost $25,000 and most of her jewellery and furniture when her housekeeper's family moved into her home. Hired after the victim read about her services on a flyer, the housekeeper quickly became involved in the victim’s daily life and gained access to her bank accounts and other personal documents, including the title on her house. (Source: Mangione, K., “Housekeeper and husband arrested after 94-year-old defrauded of life savings,” CTV News Toronto web site, April 2, 2014; http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/housekeeper-and-husband-arrested-after-94-year-old-defrauded-of-life-savings-1.1757085.)
“With more and more baby boomers beginning to retire, Canada is becoming an older country,” says Lester Fix, executive vice president of Home Care Assistance - Toronto/York Region. “In 2011, 27% of the Canadian population was aged 55 and older. By 2031, that number will rise to 35% and eight million, or nearly 25% of the population, will be over 65 years of age.” (Source: “Victimization of older Canadians, 2009,” Statistics Canada web site; http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2012001/article/11627-eng.htm, last accessed April 15, 2014.)
Fix explains that between 1998 and 2005, the overall rate of police-reported violence against seniors increased by 20%. On top of that, financial fraud is the fastest-growing form of elder abuse. Overall, elderly women are more likely than older men to be emotionally or financially abused by a caregiver, with one of the greatest concerns being that many seniors are too afraid to speak up about elder abuse. (Source: “Section 4: Family violence against seniors,” Statistics Canada web site; http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2012001/article/11643/11643-4-eng.htm#a1, last accessed April 15, 2014.)
“In this most recent case, the victim wasn’t the one who called police; it was the prescription delivery person. Unfortunately, with a vulnerable aging population, cases involving elder abuse and fraud are only going to increase,” Fix adds. “When frailty, chronic illness, or forgetfulness make living alone too difficult, it’s imperative that families screen their caretakers or use a trusted home care company to look after their loved ones.”
As the leading provider of non-medical, in-home senior care in the Greater Toronto Area, Home Care Assistance - Toronto/York Region is proud to have a distinguished reputation for high-calibre caregivers. Thanks to its high standards and rigorous screening process, Home Care Assistance - Toronto/York Region only hires one out of every 25 caregiver applicants.
“In addition to having at least two years of senior care experience, Home Care Assistance - Toronto/York Region also checks references, criminal backgrounds, driving records, and work authorization documentation. Finally, we administer our exclusive Caregiver Personality Screening, developed by our on-staff PhD psychologists, which verifies honesty, kindness and conscientiousness, all essential traits in our employees,” Fix concludes. “We also conduct regular assessments and quality assurance visits to ensure 100% client satisfaction.”
Serving Toronto, North York, York Region: Markham, Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Vaughan, Newmarket, Unionville, the Township of King, Aurora, Woodbridge, Keswick, and Stouffville, Home Care Assistance - Toronto/York Region provides older adults with high-quality, consistent care, helping them live happier, healthier lives in the comfort of their home. In an effort to fully address its mobile and homebound clients’ lifestyle needs, Home Care Assistance - Toronto/York Region provides both hourly home care and live-in home care. On top of that, Home Care Assistance - Toronto/York Region is so certain its customers will be 100% satisfied with its services that it doesn’t require a long-term contract. To learn more about Home Care Assistance - Toronto/York Region, visit the company’s web site at http://www.HomeCareAssistance-Toronto.com or call Home Care Assistance - Toronto/York Region at 1-905-597-5825.
Lester Fix, Home Care Assistance Toronto, http://homecareassistance-toronto.com/, +1 416-822-0204, [email protected]
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