Norman Caregiver Accused of Taking Advantage of Client

By Gan Matthews, NEWS 9

NORMAN, Oklahoma – Unfortunately senior citizens are often times the target of con artists and sometimes that includes caregivers preying on those who are most vulnerable.

Prosecutors say that's what happened to an elderly man in Norman. According to court documents, Lula Jane Holland was employed as a caregiver for an 85-year-old man who was a resident at Norman's Cedar Creek Living Center. It was at this time that she allegedly took advantage of her client's debit card.

"The allegations are based upon him giving her his card to purchase groceries and in this case she just went too far and pulling money out of his bank account or other purposes," Cleveland County District Attorney Greg Mashburn said.

Authorities said Holland used the debit card to make seven fraudulent withdrawals from ATMs. The amounts withdrawn reached $890 before the victim's stepdaughter got suspicious and called police.

The Full Circle Senior Adult Day Center provides care for several seniors every day. The director said if you're looking for a personal caregiver, background checks are important, but relatives should follow the money.

"They need to not let bank accounts or anything like that be a part open to the caregiver," Tammy Vaughn with the Full Circle Adult Center said.

The district attorney says the victim was shocked to find out that two of the withdrawals were made at ATMs at the Riverwind Casino.

"We're seeing, not a whole lot, but a rise of that, where they go to the casino and use these cards for unauthorized purposes," Mashburn said.

"If the debit card was being used to buy groceries, medicine or so on, I highly recommend that you just give them the amount that they need to get those items," Vaughn said.

The Full Circle Senior Adult Day Center director believes that caregiver abuse is on the rise. If you have any suspicions about such abuse--physical, financial, or both--contact the office of Adult Protective Services in your county.

Holland was in no way an employee of Cedar Creek Living Center, and the center was not involved in the crime.