The recent case of a thirty-seven-year-old Belleville, Illinois nursing home employee being charged with identity theft has spotlighted a growing national problem. On November 12, 2010, Cynthia Hill was charged with two counts of aggravated identity theft by the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office. She is currently free on $50,000 bond.

The identity theft was uncovered after a 54-year-old victim attempted to have power turned on by the local power company. That request was denied due to an outstanding balance of $1,303.51. The Collinsville Police Department began an investigation and found two other victims – all residents of a nursing home where Hill was employed. The other victims were 61-year-old woman and a 76-year-old woman. After a second delinquent account with a balance of $792.09 was uncovered, it was determined that the account had been opened by Hill.

Identity theft is fast becoming a big national problem. For those inclined to commit this crime, nursing home residents are easy targets. If you have an elderly parent or a loved one in a nursing home, there are several things you can do to help protect them against identity theft.

1. Be careful who has access to the social security number and birth date of your loved one.
2. Don’t use the same passwords for nursing home issues as used for financial issues.
3. Regularly check credit reporting bureaus for new accounts that were not opened by your family member.
4. Report unknown bills to the police.
5. Regular visits with your loved one will also make it more difficult for those with evil motives to take advantage of trusting, vulnerable senior citizens.