Read Dr. Sam Sugar’s book Guardianship The Elderly The Perfect Crime, Watch Netflix Dirty Money. episode Guardian Inc., google Advocates of Michigan and find out whats really going on from people that have been through legal abuse syndrome and join the fight for changes nationwide justice for all.
Renee, your profile states that your father is only 71, presumably your mother roughly the same age. So they're not old enough to need protection purely because they're elderly - what makes them vulnerable to abuse? Are they ill or disabled? - what are their care needs?
What form of abuse are we talking about?
Who is the close relative, and is this relative living with your parents, caring for them, or what?
"How" is a practical question, but to make practical suggestions we'd need to understand the circumstances.
Does the relative have a diagnosis of dementia? Who is this elder relative's financial PoA? If the elder relative does NOT have dementia, there is nothing anyone can do except to warn him/her. The close relative may pursue PoA at this point and it would be fully legal. If the elder does have diagnosed dementia then the financial PoA can step in, but if there's no PoA, concerned family will need to either pursue guardianship through the courts or bring evidence to an elder law attorney who specializes in financial abuse and he/she will decide if there's enough evidence to pursue the case.
Are the parents incompetent? That is the only way you can "protect" them. Otherwise the parents have a right to give a close relative anything they wish to gift. If the parents are incompetent and have not assigned POA to anyone then guardianship will be needed. This can be an action under law that could cost 10,000. The court would appoint a counsel to the parent assuming they do not wish to have a relative have guardianship. This is all very complicated. So essentially you are left with a mentally competent person is free to live their life however they choose, gifting relatives (or indeed anyone else) when they choose. If you suspect an elder is being abused and is not competent to act in own behalf do call adult protective services to investigate.
APS does nothing to help in a lot of states.......they say they’ll open an investigation then do nothing. I reported elder isolation & exploitation & they told me to pretend my mom was dead & move on with my life.
Some elders are afraid to speak against people who are isolating them or abusing them for one reason or another & if they don’t speak up nothing happens.
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What form of abuse are we talking about?
Who is the close relative, and is this relative living with your parents, caring for them, or what?
"How" is a practical question, but to make practical suggestions we'd need to understand the circumstances.
So essentially you are left with a mentally competent person is free to live their life however they choose, gifting relatives (or indeed anyone else) when they choose.
If you suspect an elder is being abused and is not competent to act in own behalf do call adult protective services to investigate.
Some elders are afraid to speak against people who are isolating them or abusing them for one reason or another & if they don’t speak up nothing happens.