I work as a community manager in a senior home. My agency and the housing building pushed this 92 year old woman off on me. She had past history of accusations etc. However she had grown over the 2 years attached to me. I took her shopping, helped her move and so much more. I care about her a lot. She has no family or friends left. Anyways, she opened two credit cards with me listed as an authorized user with the ok to use if I paid back. I hesitated but she ensure it was fine. I made a few purchases for personal reasons but most was for her. Now my company stepped in because I moved her without telling them and I was told I had to let her know I could no longer visit her. The next two days I got a phone call saying she accused me of using her cards without permission. My heart sank because I have no proof. I have small children and would never do that. I made the first payments on due date and will pay it faithfully.. what do I do now? I never told my company. The max spent between her and I were 2,000 bucks. Will o go to jail? I'm so scared.
very much so, in the elder care field. One has to be aware of the loss of ability, as well as reasoning with so many elerly people. Family steal, as well as
facilities. I can understand that you both had a good relashionship, yet, having
cared for my mom honestly for 8 years, she still has so many issues, fears and confusions. Having said this they are at a high risk of being taken advantage of.
???? How could they have pushed her on you?, was this agreed upon your hirering?, you are in a mgt position, knowing, in this field, many elders do not have other family, do you not have social workers to help them attain other sources or needs???.
The ONE MAJOR RULL IS " NO GIFTS, NO FINANCIAL HELP, AS WELL AS
COMMEN SENSE". Look at your work contract and make sure you signed it, understanding the regulations. If?, you did not sign those you may be safe. Yet,
to all those reading this KNOW WHAT IS OK, & AND WHAT IS NOT.
Good Luck,Be Carefull!!!
Having been an ( outsider 0, in thos field, I am confused? why did you think seh was OK, and that this was OK?.
If everything was on the up & up, then why would you keep it a secret from your employer? Did you keep it a secret because deep inside, you knew what you were doing was wrong? Why would you move her without telling them?
Fraud, maybe. Identity theft, more likely. That's a major crime & you can forget about working with the senior population---or any job where you would have access to people's cash, credit cards or social security numbers. You're going to have a tough job trying to convince the D.A. that she applied for those credit cards & not you, especially if it was done online. If this woman shows that she has no knowledge about using a computer & couldn't possibly have applied for a credit card online, you've got yourself one big fat problem. She would have had to know your social security number----how would she have known that?
This doesn't sound like it is going to turn out well at all.
Pay it off immediately, even if it means a cash advance on another card ( of your own). With the money paid, since prosecutors have a heavy load they may drop your case. Catch your breath, assuming you have a clean record, $2k fraud, even if found guilty is unlikely to end up in jail. The larger consequence could be from moving her without authority....that sounds like a story onto itself.
I agree w Pam, make restitution, cease contact. I do not think you need to resign. Cross that bridge if you come to it. They may even give you the opportunity to do so. Any firm prefers an employee voluntarily resign to firing them, even when there is cause.
From this day forth promise yourself to be
squeaky clean in all your dealings.