Disclaimer

**** DISCLAIMER

Any Charges Reported on this blog are Merely Accusations and the Defendants are Presumed Innocent Unless and Until Proven Guilty, through the courts.

March 31, 2009

Robot Nurses to Care for Aging Japanese (Japan)

March  30, 2009

 Japan, like many countries around the world, is facing a serious shortage of caregivers to look after its rapidly growing elderly population. Unlike others, however, it is about to create an army of robot nurses.

The Japanese government announced Wednesday that it hopes to have both the robot nurses and the safety guidelines for their use in place within five years, according to news reports. Officials at the ministry of trade and industry said a new agency, the Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, has been created to improve safety standards for robots over the next five years. Japan currently produces 70% of the world's industrial robots, according to an AFP report.

Rising numbers of elderly people and shortages of caregivers are problems facing many countries, including the United States. Both the U.S. and Japan have eased certain immigration rules in an effort to lure more foreign caregivers into the workforce. Japanese officials have said they hope that by building nurse robots, it can address its workforce shortages and improve its economy in one fell swoop.

SOURCE:     McKnights.Com

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This is an interesting development. Does it mean the end of emotional and psychological abuse in nursing homes?  
Seriously, as the number of elderly people balloon in most countries, this may be an option to be considered. 
We must examine every proposed solution to aged care, seriously.  Shortage of qualified nurses for nursing homes would undoubtedly set off a number of undesirable outcomes.

Many people are not in favor of robots replacing human nurses altogether. However, it may have a place as a short-term measure or as an adjunct to the main program of caring for the aged.

AC

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Nurse Gets Suspended Term for Removing Nails of Elder Patients (Japan)

Nurse gets suspended term for removing nails of elderly patients

 30th March

KITAKYUSHU —

The Fukuoka District Court on Monday sentenced a former female nurse to six months in prison, suspended for three years, for removing the toenails of two elderly patients at a hospital in Fukuoka Prefecture in 2007. Prosecutors had sought a 10-month imprisonment for Satomi Ueda, 42, arguing that she caused the two female patients to bleed by clipping their toenails too deep with a nail clipper and such an act ‘‘is not considered proper treatment.’’

Abridged
SOURCE:     Japan Today


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Elder Abuse and Neglect by Family Members (International)

By Andrew Chadwick

31 March, 2009

Various studies from around the globe, have found that the majority of elder abuse cases are committed by family members.

Physical abuses are easier to detect than psychological or emotional abuses. These sort of abuses occur together with other types of elder abuse; such as finanicial abuse, sexual abuse and abandonment.

Psychological abuse includes verbal assaults (yelling, insults, infantilization) and threats, which induce fear but do not involve the use of a weapon. Psychological neglect includes isolation, lack of attention, and deprivation of companionship or social contact.

Violation of rights includes acts such as forcing elderly persons to move into a nursing home against their will, prohibiting marriage, or preventing free use of their own money. The majority of victims suffer from more than one type of abuse or neglect.

How can we prevent elder abuse in the privacy of victim’s home?

The difficulty of obtaining evidence and even to get the victim’s consent to investigate the case is a real barrier.

Why is elder abuse underreported?

Often, victims of elder abuse have:

  •        feelings of shame,
  •        fear of retaliation,
  •        fear that they will ‘lose’ family members,
  •        fear of institutionalization,
  •        failed to identify the situation as abusive,
  •        the perception that the abuse is deserved.

Publicity of the unacceptability of elder abuse, I believe will go a long way to preventing elder abuse.

Elder Abuse is a human rights issue.  The government of a country should fund publicity campaigns to highlight the issue.

The populace need to be reminded that elder abuse of any shape or form is NOT acceptable.

Perhaps we should follow the lead of the USA, where criminal prosecution has an additional charge of elder abuse for any crime committed on an older person.

What happens to victims of elder abuse by family members have been removed from the abusive situation?

Can these victims continue to have a ‘normal’ relationship with the family member who abused him/her? Not likely.

Take the case of Frank Punito. The abuses have stopped, but the victim could no longer bring himself to have any sort of contact with his adult children.

The victim actually said that ‘they have robbed me of a family, and their own children a grandparent’.

At 79, and with a number of health issues, he is struggling to maintain a ‘normal’ existence.

Are there services available for victims of elder abuse, after they have been removed from abusive situations?

The traumatic experience, loss of dignity, shame and guilt suffered by victims of elder abuse surely affected their mental and general health. Who can they turn to?

Elder abuse prevention and intervention is a complex problem requiring mult-disciplinarial and multi-sectorial approaches.

It is very disappointing to note that politicians are very good at ‘passing the buck’.  Part of the political game is to call for an inquiry, whenever a social problem is highlighted by the public.

Even after the reports of inquiry have been published, little is achieved as those reports gather dusts in Congress or Parliament.

It is therefore, important for elder rights advocates to continue to remind the government of the day that recommendations made in those reports be implemented.

The local community must also bear some responsibilities. If someone you know is being abused by their adult child(ren), spouse or other members of the family; are you prepared to do something?

Not many would want to get involved in what they perceive as ‘family matters’.

Sure, anything that occurs in a family is classified as family dynamics, but once evidence suggest abuse, be it child abuse or elder abuse, it should be taken out of the family privacy context.

Human rights should not and do not have boundary where the rights are waived.

Reporting elder abuse is not an easy task, especially if it is perpetrated by a family member. That calls for another posting.

We have a lot more to do. 

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March 30, 2009

Significant Risk of Elder Abuse in Nursing Homes? (CA. USA)

Significant Risk of Elder Abuse in Los Angeles

 March 29, 2009

 by Rice & Bloomfield

The San Fernando Valley’s elderly population is in serious danger. Of the 419 nursing homes in Los Angeles, only 17 facilities were in full compliance with federal safety standards. Many nursing homes violate standards that create a real risk of injury or death to their patients. Seventy-six percent did not provide adequate staffing for the dependent adults in their care. This has resulted in medication errors, life-threatening bed sores, and failure to timely treat medical conditions at an early stage, put the 34,000 resident of Los Angeles’ nursing homes at an unacceptable risk.

 Recognizing that the elder population is particularly vulnerable to abuse and neglect, California“elder abuse” law provides an effective means for holding nursing homes liable for the injuries they cause. When regulators don’t have the resources to enforce laws designed to protect elders, elder abuse lawyers sometimes get involved. Unfortunately, that usually does not happen until a family member is injured or dies.

Abridged

SOURCE:   Los Angeles Injury Lawyer

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Non compliance of standards in Nursing Homes are often seen in nursing homes in other countries too.  It is up to the citizens of each of these countries to ensure that elder rights, elder care and elder abuse prevention; be 'on the agenda' of government and political parties.

Let use speak for those who cannot do so. 

The staff to residents ratio is another area that should be considered in the inspection of nursing homes.  Overworked and underpaid carers are 'time bombs' for elder abuse. 

A lot of money, time, and sufferings can be avoided if we concentrate on PREVENTION programs.

In many countries, we do not hear about elder abuse. Most media outlets are NOT interested.

Elder Abuse is not a 'sexy' or headline grabbing item so they just don't bother.

....... AC

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Suspect in Elder Abuse Case Goes to Court Monday (MN. USA)

Suspect in elder abuse case goes to court Monday

Lawyer questions constitutionality

By Sarah Stultz | Albert Lea Tribune

March 28, 2009

The second of the two young women charged as adults in the case of alleged abuse at Good Samaritan Society of Albert Lea is expected to appear in Freeborn County District Court Monday for a default hearing.

Larry Maus, attorney for Albert Lea High School graduate Brianna Broitzman, filed a motion with the court earlier this month questioning the constitutionality of Broitzman’s statements to investigators. He also filed an order with the court to dismiss the criminal complaint against his client for lack of probable cause.

The motions mirror ones made from co-defendant Ashton Larson’s attorney, Evan Larson, also questioning the constitutionality of his client’s statements.

Ashton appeared in Freeborn County District Court last Monday, when Judge Steve Schwab scheduled a contested omnibus hearing for April 21 to determine whether that concern is valid.

A contested omnibus hearing is also likely to be scheduled Monday in Broitzman’s case to determine these issues. Her case is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Broitzman and Ashton were charged in December with at least 10 counts each of fifth-degree assault, criminal abuse of a vulnerable adult and mandated failure to report suspected abuse of multiple residents at the nursing home.

The charges came after an investigation into allegations of abuse by the Albert Lea Police Department, the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office and the Minnesota Department of Health.

The details of the allegations surfaced last August after the release of the Department of Health’s report. It concluded four teenagers were involved in verbal, sexual and emotional abuse of 15 residents at the nursing home in Albert Lea. The residents suffered from mental degradation conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Ashton and Broitzman were formally charged as adults for the alleged abuse, and four others, who were juveniles at the time of the alleged incidents, were charged for mandated failure to report suspected abuse.

All of the teenagers are now adults.

SOURCE:   The Albert Lea Tribune

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What about the human rights of the victims? Who is going to fight for the rights of victims of elder abuse?

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Be Aware of 'Granny Scams' (USA)

'Granny Scam' surfaces in Marin

 Gary Klien

03/28/2009

 When an 80-year-old San Rafael woman received a tearful phone call this month from her grandson Tom, who said he needed money immediately to stay out of a jail in Vancouver, she rushed to wire him the funds. Then she waited up all night to hear that he was OK.

The followup call never came, and her bank account was $2,000 lighter.

The woman, who asked that her name not be used, was the victim of an elder abuse technique known as the "Granny Scam," a widespread fraud that is beginning to surface in Marin, according to police reports.

Under the scam, an elderly resident receives a desperate call from someone claiming to be a grandchild in need of emergency funds. The caller directs the victim to wire money to a location, often in Canada, and not to tell other family members about his embarrassing troubles.

Canadian authorities say the scam resulted in $2.2 million being wired into the country by more than 400 grandparents in the United States last year.

In the case of the San Rafael woman who wired money to grandson "Tom," there was an additional element of menace when a man claiming to be her grandson's lawyer got on the phone and said the $2,000 would not be enough to keep her loved one out of jail. Another $16,000 would be necessary, he said.

The woman did not send it because she did not have it. Then she alerted her adult daughters, and they confirmed it was a scam.

"Somebody should tell somebody so little old ladies like me know what's going on," she said. "It's got to be in the paper so little old ladies will read this and they don't fall for this. They need to ask questions."


Abridged
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March 29, 2009

Elder abuse rises 10% in County (CA. USA)

By Kim Lamb Gregory

March 27, 2009

Financial abuse of seniors is moving to the forefront in the fight against elder abuse in Ventura County.

“We received over 2,000 referrals in 2008,” said Marcy Snider, program coordinator of Ventura County Adult Protective Services. “That’s up about 10 percent (from 2007). The No. 1 type of abuse reported was financial abuse.”

Snider spoke Friday at a forum of about 10 different Ventura County organizations that serve seniors and caregivers. Representatives from the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office were also present.

The forum, held at the Ventura County Community Foundation office in Camarillo, was organized by the Congress of California Seniors, a nonprofit state organization.

The group’s president, Hank Lacayo, called the summit so organization leaders could brainstorm ways to raise awareness about elder abuse in Ventura County.

He specifically wants to make the public aware of the organization’s campaign called Commitment to End Abuse of Seniors and Elders, or CEASE.

“The state organization is using Ventura County as a pilot to show we can collaborate,” Lacayo said.

Among the ideas discussed at Friday’s forum was the possibility of including an easy-to-read information page about elder abuse that would be delivered along with meals to homebound seniors. Snider also recommended that home-repair people be educated about elder neglect or abuse so they know what to look for and how to report a homebound senior in trouble.

“They see self-neglect but are not mandated to report it,” Snider said.

There are also plans to build a CEASE Web page and hold an elder abuse awareness workshop in June.

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March 28, 2009

The Difficulty of Detecting Elder Abuse

Author: recep

March 26th, 2009

The difficulty of detecting abuse and neglect varies, depending on how subtle the signs are and how willing the victim is to talk. Many victims do not disclose abuse. Some tend to hide it out of shame. Others may either feel an obligation to protect the abuser or fear retaliation. Sometimes when elderly victims do seek help, they encounter ageist responses. For example, a health care worker may unquestionably accept a relative’s statement that an elderly parent has Alzheimer’s disease (supporting the stereotype that everyone > 65 yr has some degree of dementia). Or health care personnel may dismiss the possibility of abuse because they cannot believe that an 80-yr-old husband is capable of beating his 79-yr-old wife.

Health professionals must always be alert to the possibility of elder abuse and neglect—even when the symptoms and signs are not readily apparent. A failure to be alert to these problems may mean missing the diagnosis, even when symptoms and signs are obvious. For example, a relative may bring a patient with a fracture to the emergency department and attribute the injury to a fall caused by poor balance. Although falls and osteoporosis are common in the elderly, each new fracture should be thoroughly assessed, and the possibility of abuse should be considered.

Medical personnel should ask specific questions about how the injury occurred and should avoid making assumptions based on an incomplete history or ageist stereotypes.
Isolation of the elderly victim is a common formidable barrier to detection. Factors such as retirement, loss of friends and relatives because of death and relocation, and disabilities that limit mobility tend to leave older people more isolated than younger people. Isolation tends to increase when the person is being abused because the abuser typically limits the victim’s access to the outside world (eg, denying visitors, refusing telephone calls). Indeed, the health care worker is often the only person to whom the victim has access, which emphasizes the need to be alert to the possibility of abuse. 


Abridged
SOURCE:   6zl.org

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Judge Under State Investigation After Elderly Abuse Complaint (FL. USA)

Judge Larry Under State Investigation After Elderly Abuse Complaint

By Bob Norman

March, 26 2009

In a disturbing development in the Larry Seidlin saga, the judge now faces a complaint of elderly abuse from the niece and caretaker of the elderly woman he has already been accused of financially exploiting.

Corine Kasler, who is in town visiting 83-year-old Barbara Kasler, says she filed a complaint against Seidlin on the state's Elderly Abuse Hotline today, saying she is "shocked" by the treatment her aunt has been given by the former judge, whom she describes as "evil." The new allegations include failing to feed and medicate Kasler for an extended period of time and endangering her health with poor care.

State investigators are already on the case and today are questioning witnesses at the Marine Towers on Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale, where both Kasler and Seidlin live.

Seidlin's mother-in-law, Barbara Ray, is named in the allegations said she was outraged at the complaint.

Abridged

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March 27, 2009

Australian Govt Imposed Sanctions on Nursing Home (Vic. Australia)

Australian Government Acts on Yarra Valley Nursing Home

27 March 2009

Last night (March 26), the Australian Government imposed sanctions on Yarra Valley Nursing Home at Yarra Junction in rural Victoria – citing serious risk to the health, safety and well being of its nursing home residents.

The independent Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency identified serious risk to the health, safety and well being of residents – on a review audit conducted at the nursing home between March 17 and March 25.

This followed concerns about the aged care facilities failing to fix non-compliance which were first identified in October 2008.

The aged care facilities were given until February 6 to fix their problems, but failed to do so.

However, compliance action had to be suspended when the home and the adjacent hostel were evacuated during the bushfires. Residents were evacuated on February 22 and were returned on March 9.

The Accreditation Agency found that the aged care facilities had:

  • failed to remedy non-compliance identified in October 2008 and a continuing decline in compliance with standards since that date;
  • insufficient qualified staff;
  • inadequate provision of clinical care;
  • inadequate pain management;
  • inadequate nutrition and hydration;
  • ineffective and inadequate behaviour management; and
  • residents’ privacy and dignity were compromised by staff practices.

 Abridged

SOURCE:   Department of Health

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Seniors Warned of Financial Elder Abuse (NSW. AUSTRALIA)

Seniors Week 2009 - Elder Abuse

Older Australians can be easy targets for financial abuse, not only by strangers but sadly by members of their family or close friends. This Seniors Week (15 – 21 March 2009), Public Trustee NSW is urging older Australians to take greater care with their financial and legal affairs.

Protect yourself from elder financial abuse, Public Trustee NSW urges

An elderly lady in a nursing home had a regular visitor. She gave him access to her bank account to buy her supplies. The friend proceeded to withdraw amounts of money for his own personal use. It was months before her family found out.

Older Australians can be easy targets for financial abuse, not only by strangers but sadly by members of their family or close friends. This Seniors Week (15 – 21 March 2009), Public Trustee NSW is urging older Australians to take greater care with their financial and legal affairs, by offering seniors a power of attorney appointment as the first measure to protect themselves against potential mismanagement of their financial affairs.

Financial abuse can take the form of a misuse of funds, forgery of documents, embezzlement, stealing, denial of access to funds, forced changes to financial arrangements and the use of the elderly person's money to purchase items without their knowledge.

Peter Whitehead, Public Trustee, says, “If the financial abuse has been caused by a family member, many older parents will not confront their adult children for fear of retaliation such as losing contact with them, or limited or no access to grandchildren.

“Older Australians are much more vulnerable to the long term effects of financial abuse than younger people as they often will not be able to recoup losses at this later stage of life. Many older people may not have the financial, emotional or intellectual stamina to face an issue and actually do something about it, or they may not have the resources to protect their legal rights.”

Mr Whitehead encourages older Australians to see a professional and independent expert when planning for later life, and be aware of the risks that can arise out of powers of attorney being in the wrong hands.

 Abridged

SOURCE:   Public Trustee NSW Australia

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Elder Safe Program Aids Senior Crime Victims (OR. USA)

Washington County Elder Safe program aids senior crime victims

Help is offered to victims targeted because of age or vulnerability

BY BARBARA SHERMAN

The Regal Courier

Mar 26, 2009

Seniors who become victims of certain crimes have an ally in Marcia Langer, who is the Washington County Sheriff's Office senior program coordinator.

"We work with seniors who are victims of a crime if they were targeted because of their age or vulnerability," Langer said.

The Elder Safe program is available to people age 65 and older through the sheriff's and district attorney's offices plus Washington County's Disabilities, Aging and Veterans Services.

What is elder abuse? It can be physical and include inappropriate restraint or the use of force that may result in bodily injury, physical pain or impairment.

It also can be sexual abuse, defined as non-consensual sexual contact of any kind with an elderly person, or neglect, which is the refusal or failure of a caregiver to fulfill his or her caretaking responsibilities.

Finally, it can be financial abuse, which is the illegal or improper use of an elder's funds, property or assets, including forgery, fraud, unexplained transfers of assets or the unexplained disappearance of funds or valuable possessions.

The Elder Safe program helps victims with emotional support after a crime, assistance with filling out forms, information and referrals, and follow-up on the case on behalf of the victim through trial, sentencing and corrections.

Nearly 40,000 people age 65 and older live in Washington County, and more than 60 abuse or neglect cases are reported each month, although only 20 percent of elder abuse cases are reported to authorities, according to information distributed by the sheriff's office.

For more information on the county's elder abuse program or on becoming an Elder Safe volunteer, call Langer at 503-846-6048 or e-mail www.co.washington.or.us/eldersafe to report possible abuse, call your local police agency, Washington County Disability, Aging and Veteran Services at 503-640-3489 or the Oregon elder abuse hotline at 1-800-232-3020.

Abridged

SOURCE:    The Regal Courier - King City,OR,USA


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Man Suspected of Killing His Mother (MA. USA)

Topsfield man suspected of killing his mother

By David Rogers and Brendan Lewis

GateHouse News Service

Mar 25, 2009

A Topsfield man remained in custody Wednesday as the Essex County District Attorney’s office investigates whether he should be charged for murdering his elderly mother, according to an Ipswich District Court document.

Robert F. Friberg, 44, of Great Hill Road, was arrested last Friday after police responded to a report of a domestic incident involving Friberg and his 72-year-old mother, Priscilla, at the same address. A day later, Priscilla Friberg died at Boston Medical Center.

“Topsfield and State Police, in conjunction with the medical examiners office, are investigating her death to determine whether it is connected to the alleged assault,” Essex County District Attorney spokesman Steve O’Connell said.

In his report, Topsfield Police Officer Shawn Frost wrote the victim claimed her son struck her with a telephone, causing a deep bruise on her left forearm. Frost then spoke to the son who admitted he had been drinking but denied hitting her.

The confrontation began, according to Frost, when Robert Friberg asked his mother for a ride to pick up a prescription. When she refused, he became enraged, shaking his fist in front of her face. Fearing for her safety, the victim picked up the phone to call the police. That’s when the suspect wrenched the phone from her hand and struck her with the receiver, according to the report.

“She stated that Robert then began screaming profanities at her and that she became scared and fled to a neighbor’s house,” Frost wrote.

Robert Friberg was arrested and charged by domestic assault and battery of a person over 60 and witness intimidation. 

Abridged
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March 26, 2009

Protection of Human Rights of Older Persons in Europe

Europe: The Protection of the Human Rights of Older Persons in Europe: A Legal Perspective (January 2009)


A recent European study demonstrates the need for an International Convention on the rights of older people as well as a separate European Convention on the rights of older people. It is not unusual to have a regional counterpart to global treaties. Authors believe that a new Convention would transform the image of older persons from one of passivity and neediness, to entitlement and full participation in society. While It is important to protect the rights of older people, but it is also important to protect their right to participate. The emphasis in both international and European law and policy has been on rights of provision, such as pensions and social care, without equally emphasizing their participation rights. 


SOURCE:    Global Aging Org
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Police Training in Elder abuse Identification/Investigation (MI. USA)

Police work to train to combat problem

  By Dawn Jones

GENESEE COUNTY (WJRT)

 (03/24/09)--Elder abuse is a growing problem -- not only nationally, but in Mid-Michigan.

That's why a new effort is underway to help law enforcement officers identify potential victims.

Elder abuse is a crime that takes on many forms. It can take on physical, sexual emotional or financial forms of exploitation.

"The real emphasis today I want on senior safety is how do we keep our seniors safe," said Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell.

If they are abused, if they are exploited, how do we deal with it? We want to teach investigative strategies and the dynamics of elder abuse."

In the first two months of the year, 27 felony warrants involving elder abuse were issued in Genesee County.

A Flint Township man is facing murder and vulnerable adult abuse charges in the death of his 73-year-old mother.

Authorities say he was her sole caretaker. Elder abuse by a loved one is becoming more common.

The two-day training session is being sponsored by Elder Law of Michigan through a grant from the U.S. Justice Department.

If you suspect someone is a victim of elder abuse - contact the Genesee County Elder Abuse and Exploitation Prevention Team.

For more information, you can click here. You can also

Call the Vulnerable Adult help line at (800) 996-6228. You can also call the legal hotline for Michigan seniors at (800) 347-5297.

You can also call the Genesee County Elder Abuse and Exploitation Prevention Team at (810) 762-4002.


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March 25, 2009

Who Guard the Guardians (USA)

Another Bad Lawyer Steals from Clients

Jan 29, 2009

a Brooklyn lawyer has been charged with stealing more than $4 million over seven years from guardianship bank accounts he supervised for incapacitated elderly people and children.

Steven T. Rondos, 44, and his firm, Raia & Rondos, have been indicted for money laundering, grand larceny, a scheme to defraud and offering a false instrument for filing.

Rondos was arrested in his Ridgewood, New Jersey, home and taken to the Bergen County jail.

A spokesman for the New York court system acknowledged that some of the thefts “should have been caught earlier” and reported that “a handful” of examiners assigned to monitor the accounts of guardians had been asked to resign.

Rondos, a graduate of Brooklyn Law School, was appointed as legal guardian of the assets of incapacitated persons in the New York metropolitan area. The 23 victims included mentally and physically impaired elderly people as well as children suffering from cerebral palsy due to medical malpractice at birth.

Rondos is accused of using large portion of the money for the mortgage on his Ridgewood home and for extensive improvements, including landscaping, kitchen renovations and a home theater.

Prosecutors say that on three occasions, when Rondos was confronted with the thefts, he stole funds from other victims to pay back his prior victim. Bernie Madoff would be so proud.

Rondos’ wife Camille Raia is the firm’s other named partner, and is not facing any charges.

SOURCE:     JD JOURNAL
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I've posted on Elder Abuse by Guardians in the past. But the above article just brought back bad memories for many affected by 'Crooked Guardians'.  It is no wonder that this happened.  A lot of money is involved. 
Why  are we so surprised, when judges, lawyers and other court-appointed guardians are found to be abusing the very people they are supposed to look after?

Let us not be fooled, afterall these people are human beings. They are subjected to the same shortcomings and temptations as others.  The fact that 'they should know better' and that they are 'trusted by their community' just make their criminal activities more damning.
We are entitled to ask:  Who are guard the guardians and ensure that they act for the benefit of their charges?

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Seminar on Prevention of Elder Abuse (PA. USA)

Alzheimer’s Association schedules ‘Preventing Elder Abuse’ seminar

March 24

PLAINS TWP.: The Alzheimer’s Association Greater PA Chapter will sponsor a conference, “Preventing Elder Abuse,” April 16 at the Mohegan Sun Conference Center.

Presenters include Attorney Dr. Ronald Costen, director of the Institute on Protective Services, Temple University; Carol L. Lavery, MPW, Office of the Victim Advocate, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and James Siberski, MS, coordinator of the Gerontology Education Center, Misericordia University.

The registration deadline is April 8.

For additional information, contact the Alzheimer’s Association at 822-9915.


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Group Offers Free Forum About Elder Abuse (CA. USA)

Group offers free forum about elder abuse

Staff Report

03/23/2009

A free forum on elder abuse and how to avoid becoming a victim is from 8:30 a.m. to noon May 1 at the San Rafael Community Center at 618 B St.

Assemblyman Jared Huffman and District Attorney Ed Berberian are scheduled to speak and there will be presentations on financial abuse and undue influence, two of the most common forms of abuse.

The San Rafael Goldenaires will host the event, which is sponsored by the county Division of Aging and Adult Services.

To register, call 457-4636 before April 25. A continental breakfast will be served.

For more information, call the Division of Aging and Adult Services at 499-7396.

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Funding for Elder Abuse Prevention/Awareness (Canada)

The Government of Canada Supports Seniors in Haliburton and Kawartha Lakes

 Mar 24, 2009

 LINDSAY, ONTARIO

 

Mr. Barry Devolin, Member of Parliament for Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock, today announced federal support for the Haliburton Kawartha Lakes Elder Abuse Prevention Network under the Government of Canada's New Horizons for Seniors Program.

Mr. Devolin made the announcement on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, and the Honourable Marjory LeBreton, Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister of State (Seniors).

Mr. Devolin highlighted over $19,000 in funding for the Haliburton Kawartha Lakes Elder Abuse Prevention Network to help ensure that seniors have the opportunity to participate and take an active leadership role within their community.


Elder Abuse Awareness funding (up to $250,000 in funding annually over a maximum of three years): this funding helps non-profit organizations and coalitions raise awareness of the abuse of older adults on a national or regional level. Through this funding, new educational and awareness resources about elder abuse will be available to improve quality of life, safety and security for seniors.

 Abridged

SOURCE:   Market Wire (press release) - USA

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Citizens of other countries should also press their own government to adopt similar steps to promote the fact that Elder Abuse IS NOT ACCEPTABLE in any shape or form.  Awareness programs are vital to elder abuse prevention.  

Unfortunately, politicians often prefer not to discuss the sensitive issue; pretending that elder abuse does not occur in their country.  It is up to citizens in each country to keep the issue on the political agenda.  Let us speak up for those who are unable to do so.

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March 23, 2009

Two Senior Citizens Get Abandoned in City Daily (Chennai, INDIA)

Two senior citizens get abandoned in city daily

22 Mar 2009

Chennai has virtually become a dumping ground for elderly people, with at least two of them being rescued by the police every day.

Last year, the city police rescued 773 senior citizens and admitted them to old age homes. This year, they have rescued 208 elderly people so far. This includes 51 people rescued this month. 

Among metros, Chennai has the second highest proportion of elderly people - around 9% of the population. 

The city police helpline (1253) has been ringing non-stop, with many senior citizens calling in distress after being abandoned by their children or other relatives. Most of them dial the number after finding it impossible to live alone without assistance. The profiles of these abandoned people are varied, cutting across economic and social stratas. 

The figures thrown up by the helplines are scary. As per the figures of last year and this year, every day at least two elderly people take the help of the police for rehabilitation. According to national statistics, Tamil Nadu has the largest number of elderly people (60 lakh) living alone. One in every 14 senior citizens lives alone. There are more women senior citizens living alone than men. 

“A large number of senior citizens we rescue are not willing to reveal their identity or address. They do not want to go back to their family, if they have one. So most of those who seek our help have to be taken to old age homes,” Santhosh Kumar of HelpAge India told The Sunday Times of India. 

“The nuclear family has become so much a rigid system that even parents are not counted in the immediate family. We need to create more awareness regarding family values. The policy of the government is to 
reunite the abandoned elderly people with their family. Putting them in old age homes is only the last resort,” social welfare commissioner K Manivasan said.


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