Nova Scotia family demands oversight for personal care workers

A woman from Nova Scotia is calling for better oversight of personal care workers after her sister was allegedly robbed in her home. Patty Naugler’s sister, Kathy Newman, had ALS, a serious disease that affects the nervous system. In 2023, Newman was diagnosed and needed constant care, so the family hired a personal care worker. The situation seemed fine initially. However, the family started receiving calls from fraud departments about unauthorized charges on Newman’s credit and debit cards. When they investigated, they found that someone had used Newman’s cards without her knowledge, costing about $7,000. A 30-year-old care worker named Brittany Ann Rawding has been charged with fraud related to this case. Newman passed away in November 2024. Unfortunately, this incident is not isolated. Three other personal care workers in Nova Scotia are facing similar fraud charges after allegedly stealing from another woman with ALS. In that case, the victim lost $58,000 before she recently passed away. Currently, continuing care assistants in Nova Scotia are not strictly regulated. Families hiring these workers are largely responsible for vetting them. Experts recommend checking bank accounts frequently and ensuring that no sensitive information is left out. The government is making efforts to educate people on protecting themselves from fraud. They advise anyone who believes they are victims to report it to the police right away. Naugler hopes that raising awareness about her sister’s situation can lead to improvements in care worker regulation to prevent similar incidents in the future.