Possible Theft

FloCon

Registered User
Aug 15, 2010
17
0
Woking
Some cash has disappeared from my Father in Law's jacket pocket. There was about £120 that the carers had permission to use for incidentals such as milk, tea and sugar.

The money was there last week and my FiL commented on Tuesday that he can't find it. I've had suspicions for some time the carers have been taking small amounts of cash but can prove nothing. How do I deal with this?

FC
 

ella24

Registered User
Nov 9, 2008
1,024
0
South Coast UK
Hi

were the 'incidentals' receipted?

I think you may have to write off what has gone, but you could ask the carers to now start to receipt all expenditure. Also, are you able to reduce the amount of cash in the house (maybe re-stock the cash weekly?)
 

jenniferpa

Registered User
Jun 27, 2006
39,442
0
The problem may also be that your FIL has put it somewhere "safe" - it happens a lot and then unfortunately the person forgets doing it. To be honest, I think it is unwise in this day and age for an older person with dementia to have that much cash on them: it could easily be taken from them. Have you considered just giving him £20 or £40 running around money (although even that might be too much) and having a separate keyed cashbox to hold money for reimbursement of carer purchases? That way the carers could still get their money reimbursed (using Ella's point about receipts). I think most people would actually prefer this solution since it protects everyone.
 

FloCon

Registered User
Aug 15, 2010
17
0
Woking
He's been in respite care for a couple of days and I took the opportunity to do some cleaning up and found money all over the place. A small tin contained over £20 in £2 coins and today I found a pencil case stuffed full of £1 coins and 50p pieces, so yes, perhaps you're right and he's just put the money somewhere safe.

FC
 

ella24

Registered User
Nov 9, 2008
1,024
0
South Coast UK
My gran squirrelled cash all over the house (one time there was several thousand pounds in cash in the house in varying places) - she would withdraw cash, and kept doing so. Things became easier when the POA was sorted and all the bank accounts managed.

Now she is in a care home, she has a purse with small loose change so that she feels secure (and she counts it a lot), plus some old (out of date) credit cards and tesco clubcard/loyalty points card, again to make her feel secure - ones with her name on help to reassure her. She doesnt spend money usually - if she goes out, we pay, and the CH keep cash for trips, or hairdresser etc)
 

Contrary Mary

Registered User
Jun 11, 2010
1,895
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69
Greater London
This is perhaps a bit tricky as you cannot be entirely sure what's happened.

I live with Mum and I was 99.99% certain that money had been taken. SS took it very seriously and told me that the carer would not be able to work again as a carer, even though I could not prove my case.

I would certainly suggest that the carer be changed as you will probably not be happy with them continuing.

Mary
 
From the carer's point of view it's scary that they could be in a position to "never work again" when nothing was proved, in working with a patient with dementia. I'd hope that they'd get their trade union rep on the case (though far too few people are in unions these days) or at least talk to HR, go through a formal disciplinary procedure, or whatever. It's not fair on any worker to lose their livelihood without a proper investigation.

It's certainly best for all concerned if the money left in the house is limited, and the idea of a locked cashbox for carers to access necessary "petty cash" spending and put receipts in seems very sensible to protect all concerned.

Pam
 
On a lighter note, a friend told me the other day that an elderly acquaintance, now dead, had stuffed £1400 in old white five pound notes down into the back of his wardrobe and it was only just found before the wardrobe was dumped in a skip when the house was cleared! Pam
 

Clive

Registered User
Nov 7, 2004
716
0
Hi FC

I would agree with Jennifer on this, though I would go for a cash box with a combination (pin number) which can be changed every few months and can be given over the phone if necessary. I used a private Care company and the number was registered with the supervisor. A receipt book is a good idea.

My mum always had to have a certain amount of money in her purse otherwise she got extremely anxious. There was no way I could take it all away and tell her I would pay all the bills. Realistically we probably didn’t lose any cash, though too many foreign coins turned up in her loose change.

However I did find that mum would put money away in draws and behind books, and not remember what she had done. Over a period of months there would be weeks where mum ended up with more money than she started with.

I found that one cause of “loss” was that the Carer who took mum to the Pensioners’ Club always took most of the money out of mum’s purse before taking her… but often forgot to put it back again, having hidden it in one of mum’s kitchen draws.

Being a simple male I also went for many months not understanding that mum had two identical handbags (well they were both black :)), and I did not appreciate that the one that was always hidden at the back of the wardrobe was being rotated with the one mum went out with on a regular basis, though all the money was not being transfered.

Clive
 

jenniferpa

Registered User
Jun 27, 2006
39,442
0
Yes, Clive is right - a combination lock would be much better, particularly one where the number could be changed.
 

steeevy

Registered User
Jun 20, 2010
99
0
Wakefield
it could quite possibly be that it was moved somewhere "Safe"
my mum "Lost" £60 before she went into respite,we searched everywhere for it.
It mysteriously turned up in her purse yesterday!:rolleyes:
so there could be some easy reason why its missing!:D