PLAINFIELD, IN - Federal inspectors cited Plainfield Health Care Center for failing to properly investigate allegations that a former employee stole more than $4,000 from a resident with dementia through unauthorized debit card use.
Former Employee Kept Card for Over a Month
The February 2025 inspection revealed that a Social Service Assistant (SSA) retained possession of Resident B's debit card for 38 days after leaving employment in September 2024. The resident, diagnosed with dementia and psychotic disturbance, had originally given the card to the employee for small purchases like almond milk and lunch meat.
Bank statements showed the resident's account balance plummeted from $9,539.98 in July 2024 to just $496.46 by October 2024. Unauthorized charges included DoorDash orders, Bath & Body Works purchases, ATM withdrawals, and online animal treat orders - none of which the wheelchair-bound resident could have made herself.
"I had given her debit card to the SSA to buy small purchases," the resident told investigators. "To her knowledge the SSA had never brought her back a receipt for anything she purchased."
Red Flags Ignored for Months
The facility's administrator admitted learning about the suspicious activity in October 2024 but failed to conduct a thorough investigation. Instead, administrators left the matter to bank and police investigations, only filing a report with the Indiana Department of Health in December after the resident's sister contacted police.
The resident's care plan specifically noted she was "at risk for memory loss, disorientation, impaired decision making and reduced or poor judgement," making her particularly vulnerable to financial exploitation. Despite this documented cognitive impairment, the facility allowed an employee unsupervised access to her financial assets without proper oversight.
Missing Documentation and Oversight Failures
Federal regulations require nursing homes to immediately investigate allegations of resident property misappropriation and notify multiple agencies within 24 hours. Plainfield Health Care Center's own policy mandated such investigations be documented on grievance forms, yet no such documentation existed in the resident's file.
The Business Office Manager only became aware of the unauthorized charges when the resident approached her in October with concerning bank statements. Even then, the facility's response focused on helping the resident get a new debit card rather than investigating potential employee misconduct.
Financial Vulnerability in Long-Term Care
Residents with cognitive impairments face heightened risks of financial abuse in institutional settings. Federal statistics indicate that nursing home residents lose millions annually to various forms of financial exploitation, often perpetrated by trusted caregivers who exploit their positions of authority.
The case highlights critical gaps in financial safeguards for vulnerable residents. Proper protocols require documented authorization for any staff handling of resident funds, regular monitoring of financial transactions, and immediate investigation of suspicious activity.
Employee Termination and Criminal Investigation
The accused employee resigned in August 2024 with a planned departure date of September 15, but rescinded her resignation on September 11. She then failed to report for work on September 23 and was subsequently terminated for job abandonment.
When contacted by facility staff in October, the former employee denied any wrongdoing with the charges, claiming she "always had the card in her possession" before returning it. Police visited the facility in December 2024 to collect statements and documentation related to the alleged theft.
Systemic Protection Failures
The inspection revealed multiple procedural breakdowns that left the resident vulnerable to exploitation. The facility lacked documentation showing when staff members had possession of resident property, failed to conduct required investigations, and did not notify appropriate authorities within mandated timeframes.
Current safeguards now require the resident's debit card to be locked in the business office with sign-in and sign-out procedures when not in use. However, these protections came only after significant financial losses had already occurred.
The case underscores the critical importance of robust financial protection protocols for nursing home residents, particularly those with cognitive impairments who may be unable to recognize or report exploitation independently.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Plainfield Health Care Center from 2025-02-20 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
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