Exploring financial abuse involving people with dementia

An empirical legal study of nation-wide court rulings over a decade in Taiwan

Bibliographic Data

ID7146309
AuthorsLi-Jung Elizabeth Ku (0000-0002-4644-8439, UNSW Sydney), Sieh-Chuen Huang (0000-0003-3571-5236, National Taiwan University, corresponding author), Yi-Han Liao, Yi‐Han Liao (0000-0003-4387-2004, National Cheng Kung University), Hsin-Yu Kang (National Taiwan University), Chao-An Chung (National Taiwan University)
Year2025
Volume45
Issue3
Pages535-551
Publication date2025-03-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAgeing and Society (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0144-686X • E-ISSN: 1469-1779
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0144686x23000533
OpenAlexW4387435636
LanguageEN
References cited16

Previous literature attempted to gain insight into financial abuse involving people with dementia by analysing court cases, but these studies were limited in sample size or scope. This study collected 214 court rulings directly related to the financial decisions of people with dementia to identify characteristics of the financial abuse victim, perpetrators and the types of assets. The models of bystander intervention and routine activity theory were used as conceptual models to guide analysis regarding the role of bank staff as well as the court's decision in cases of financial abuse. The majority of financial abuse perpetrators were family members (73.8%), as opposed to outsiders (19.2%). Transfer of real estate was the most common legal issue, and land was the most common financial asset involved. Difficult intra-family relationships seem to pose a great risk of financial abuse involving people with dementia since adult children were found to be the most likely perpetrators (52.7%) but also plaintiffs accusing financial abuse (57.6%). In accordance with the bystander intervention model, bank staff were more likely to be suspicious of financial abuse when an outsider was regarded as the perpetrator. In accordance with the routine activity theory model, the court was more likely to acknowledge the case as an invalid financial decision when an outsider was regarded as the perpetrator in financial abuse cases. Since people with dementia suffer from greater losses due to their family members, future policies should establish guidelines for front-line bank staff to identify warning signs to reduce the risk of financial abuse involving people with dementia, not only to prevent fraud by outsiders but also exploitation by family members

Actuarial science · Business · Intervention (counseling) · Plaintiff · Political science · Psychiatry · Elder Abuse and Neglect · Finance · Geriatric Care and Nursing Homes · Healthcare Decision-Making and Restraints · Law · Psychology

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