Read the Straits Times report “Breaking the silence on financial abuse of elders”.
I once handled a legal case pro bono with the Legal Aid Bureau. Elderly lady was emotionally abused by her son and made to add his name as a joint tenant of her HDB property. He influenced and misled her to effectively transfer the property to him. (As a joint tenant, when the other joint tenant passes on, one is automatically made the remaining sole owner of the property.) Apparently there was some spiritual voodoo-esque thing going on as well.
Client’s daughter found out and got her to seek legal aid. I helped draft and issue a letter of demand to the son, demanding a revocation of the transfer or otherwise we would commence action to do so on the basis of undue influence, misrepresentation or an action claiming in unjust enrichment. Ultimately the son caved in and agreed to “return” the property to the elderly lady. The client then got me to draft a will to bequeath the property to her son and daughter. Relationships improved later on.
I know that our society is still very much a let’s-not-probe-too-much-in-people’s-lives one. But it really does make a huge difference if just someone takes notice of potential abuse and does something about it. Exploitation and abuse are deplorable. Perhaps worst of all is exploitation and abuse of one’s own elderly parents who repose their trust in the ones whom they have raised.