The Lichtenberg Financial Decision Screening Scale (LFDSS): A new tool for assessing financial decision making and preventing financial exploitation

• NCJ Number: 311220
• Journal: Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect Volume: 28 Issue: 3 Dated: 2016 Pages: 134-151
• Date Published: March 2016
• Author(s): Peter Lichtenberg; Lisa Ficker; Analise Rahman-Filipiak; Ron Tatro; Cynthia Farrell; James Speir; Sanford Mall; Patrick Simasko; Howard Collens; John Jackman
• Length: 18 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2014-MU-CX-0001
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)

Abstract

One of the challenges in preventing the financial exploitation of older adults is that neither criminal justice nor noncriminal justice professionals are equipped to detect capacity deficits. Because decision-making capacity is a cornerstone assessment in cases of financial exploitation, effective instruments for measuring this capacity are essential. We introduce a new screening scale for financial decision making that can be administered to older adults. To explore the scale’s implementation and assess construct validity, we conducted a pilot study of 29 older adults seen by APS (Adult Protective Services) workers and 79 seen by other professionals. Case examples are included.

(Publisher abstract provided.)