Nursing Asst. Gets Year in Jail for Theft From Eldely Man (PA. USA)

Nursing asst. gets year in jail for theft

August 30, 2009

By Carl Hessler Jr

NORRISTOWN — A Norristown woman faces at least one year in jail for stealing from the bank account of an elderly Plymouth man for whom she worked as a nursing assistant.

Bernadette Phillips, 40, of the 500 block of East Lafayette Street, was convicted during a non-jury trial in Montgomery County Court of charges of theft by deception, theft by unlawful taking, identity theft and access device fraud in connection with incidents that occurred in October 2007 while she worked for the 83-year-old man.

Phillips faces a possible maximum sentence of 14 to 28 years in prison on the charges.

Assistant District Attorney Steven Bunn filed court papers Tuesday indicating he intends to use a state law that allows prosecutors to seek at least a one-year mandatory jail sentence against those who commit crimes against elderly persons over 65 years of age. Once prosecutors seek a mandatory sentence, judges have no discretion but to impose the mandatory term.

Phillips, who is represented by defense lawyer William English, remains free on bail pending sentencing.

The case was prosecuted as part of the district attorney's Elder Abuse Prosecution Unit.

Abridged

SOURCE: Pottstown Mercury

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Financial Elder Abuse: Stealing From Mom and Dad in Oregon (USA)

Stealing from mom and dad in Oregon

by Steve Mayes, The Oregonian

August 29, 2009

Ask Clara Philpot how she's doing, and she'll answer with a beaming smile and a hearty "Fantastic." Ask the 87-year-old who is president or the name of the dog napping in her lap and she can't say.

Philpot, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2002, also can't explain how or why she borrowed almost $1 million to finance a luxury home in Sherwood and immediately deeded half to Gayla and Jeff Ross, a daughter and son-in-law who took care of her.

After looking at the evidence, however, a Clackamas County jury took less than two hours to find Gayla Ross guilty of aggravated theft and first-degree criminal mistreatment.

Ross now faces prison. She will be sentenced Sept. 8 along with her husband, Jeff Ross, a former Washington County sheriff's deputy who was convicted of first-degree criminal mistreatment.

court-appointed guardian who now manages the details of Philpot's foggy life.

Sense of entitlement

The sad-but-true reality is that more people are preying on the elderly, according to prosecutors, police and adult protective service workers.

"I think there's a larger sense of entitlement by adult children. Mom and Dad's money is theirs even though Mom and Dad aren't dead yet," said Patricia Piazza, who oversees Philpot's finances and operates a professional guardian and conservatorship business with Farley.

In a similar Multnomah County case, two relatives of an 83-year-old Portland woman were charged with theft and criminal mistreatment after they gained power of attorney, took all the woman's possessions and sold her house. The relatives thought Evelyn Roth was dying, but she made a remarkable recovery and last week testified against the relatives.

Abridged

SOURCE: The Oregonian

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Financial Elder Abuse: What to Watch For (CA. USA)

Financial Elder Abuse: What to Watch For!!!

August 28, 2009

California Financial Elder Abuse , Elder Abuse

By Steven Peck

August 28, 2009

Many laws have been passed to address caregiver fraud and manipulation. In 2007, for example, financial institutions became mandatory reporters of suspected financial elder abuse.

Experts advise seniors to:

• · Check the background of any caregiver and make sure he or she is properly licensed.
• · Be wary of someone who suddenly takes an interest in your financial affairs
• · Become an expert on the legal concept of power of attorney
• · Learn to say no to your children - sometimes, they are the ones going after your money.

Family members and friends should:

· Pay attention to any sudden changes in behavior on the part of their loved ones, such as growing isolation.

· Keep in touch with your loved one and pay attention to any "red flags," such as a new person in their life.

SOURCE: The California Elder Law Attorney Blog

· Be watchful. Employers and agencies that provide senior services have an obligation to make sure that their agents aren't committing fraud or receiving "gifts." Do not blindly trust your caregiver.

· To report elder or dependent adult abuse or neglect, call Steven Peck's Premier Legal to talk to an experienced elder abuse attorney toll free at 1-866-999-9085 or visit us at www.premierlegal.org

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Elderly's Tragic Toll of Abuse (Tasmania, AUSTRALIA)

By DANIELLE MCKAY

August 30, 2009

UP to 4000 elderly Tasmanians suffer emotional, physical, or financial abuse each year, a new lobby group says.

Our Island Our Voices, which includes Advocacy Tasmania, Aged and Community Services Tasmania and the Tasmanian Council of Social Service, said many victims were abused by younger family members.

It included being forced to stay at home, attacks, theft of money, control of bank accounts and being isolated from friends and loved ones.

The group said the victims often had nowhere to turn for help because Tasmania was the only state that did not have a government policy position or prevention strategy regarding elder abuse.

"This is an issue that requires urgent attention," Advocacy Tasmania CEO Ken Hardaker said.

The group wants:

• Protocols for services dealing with the issue.

• A central contact number for elder abuse issues and a public awareness campaign.

• New information, referral and advocacy services for victims and access to legal assistance.

• Training for community and aged-care workers to identify and deal with elder abuse.

• Funding for research on the nature and extent of elder abuse in Tasmania and to support empowerment and prevention initiatives.

• Law reform including reviewing power-of-attorney legislation.

Council on the Ageing CEO Maxine Griffiths said the Government should collaborate with community organisations to offer prevention and response services.

Our Island Our Voices has compiled several disturbing case studies of elder abuse in Tasmania, including:

• Susie, 78, who became a prisoner in her home after her son chained up her house's entrance, took her money and regularly assaulted her.

• Bob, aged in his 80s, who suffered years of abuse and neglect by his son, who took his pension money and eventually abandoned him at a hospital.

• Maria, 86, who was isolated from friends and regularly hospitalised with panic attacks because her alcoholic son abused her.

Abridged

SOURCE: The Mercury, Tasmania, Australia

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20-Year-Old Pleads Not Guilty in Elder Abuse Case (MI. USA)

20-Year-Old Pleads Not Guilty in Elder Abuse Case

By Sarah Stultz

Austin Daily Herald

August 29, 2009

Twenty-year-old Brianna Broitzman on Friday pleaded not guilty in Freeborn County District Court to all charges related to alleged elder abuse at Good Samaritan Society of Albert Lea.

Her case will now be scheduled for a pre-trial and jury trial. The jury trial itself is expected to last two weeks.

Broitzman, one of two young women charged as an adult in the case, faces 11 charges ranging from fifth-degree assault, criminal abuse of a vulnerable adult, disorderly conduct and mandatory failure to report suspected abuse at the nursing home.

Co-defendant Ashton Larson, 19, faces similar charges as Broitzman, and four other young women were charged as juveniles for failure to report suspected abuse.

Charges in the case came in December after an investigation into the allegations of abuse by local and Minnesota Department of Health officials; however, details of the allegations surfaced August 2008 after the release of the Department of Health’s report.

The report concluded four teenagers were involved in verbal, sexual and emotional abuse of 15 residents at the nursing home in Albert Lea from January through May 2008. The residents suffered from mental degradation conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Jan Reshetar, a family member of one of the alleged victims, responded to the plea hearing: “There was nothing surprising. We’re just letting the judicial system take its course. That’s all we can do.”

Abridged

SOURCE: Austin Daily Herald

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83-Year-Old Says Relatives "Robbed Me Blind" (Oregon, USA)

Dying woman recovers, says relatives "robbed me blind"

by Maxine Bernstein, The Oregonian

August 27, 2009

Shortly after two women gained power of attorney from a dying 83-year-old relative, they took all of her possessions and sold her house of 56 years, police said.

The pair pocketed the $235,000 from the house sale and cleaned out the elderly woman's bank accounts and savings, sharing the money among themselves and family members, police and prosecutors say. They also arranged and pre-paid for her funeral.

However, Evelyn Roth made an amazing recovery and had no idea what her relatives were up to.

Now the two suspects, Roth's cousin Virginia Ann Kuehn, 66, and her niece Kathleen Sue Jingling, 53, face a 35-count felony indictment charging them with first-degree criminal mistreatment, aggravated theft and first-degree theft. They've pleaded not guilty.

Abridged

SOURCE: The Oregonian

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Probe of Housekeeper Highlights Trust, Elderly (USA)

Probe of housekeeper highlights trust, elderly

Child of late pair alleges woman took $1.4 million from sick parents.

By GREG HARDESTY

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

August 26, 2009

She was hired to clean a house. She also cleaned out most of her client's bank accounts, or so a lawsuit alleges.

A criminal investigation into a Garden Grove housekeeper accused of taking more than $1.4 million from a retired octogenarian couple with serious medical ailments highlights the growing problem of financial elder abuse in Orange County.

CALL FOR VIGILANCE

The civil lawsuits against Heinz were settled last week, Tomp said.

Lawsuits remain against Dana's Housekeeping and two attorneys Heinz used to alter the Woodbridges' trust. Tomp is alleging legal malpractice.

Under terms of the settlement, Heinz agreed to pay John Woodbridge $50,000 in cash and give him a home she bought in Garden Grove, according to Tomp.

John Woodbridge, who said he also lost a lifetime of photos, said the settlement only goes so far.

"The hard lesson I learned was, if you have elderly parents and need to get them assistance, you must pay close attention to the hired helper and don't trust anyone – especially if they start becoming too familiar with your family's affairs," he said.

(An interesting case, please go to Source, for more details...AC..)

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SOURCE: OCRegister

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State House Passes Bills to Fight Elder Abuse (MI. USA)

By Karen Bouffard

August 26, 2009

Detroit News Lansing Bureau

Part of a package of bills to prevent financial exploitation of senior citizens passed in the state House this afternoon.

Called the Elder Abuse Protection Plan, the package is meant to address a surge in abuse complaints, which have increased 40 percent in Michigan since 1998, according to the Michigan Department of Human Services.

Under the bills, financially exploiting a vulnerable adult would be a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. Children who abuse, neglect or exploit their aging parents would be disinherited. And third parties would be able to file criminal complaints to stop and prevent abuse cases in nursing homes and elsewhere.

The bills have to pass the state Senate and be signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm to become law.

"Now, the victim has to voluntarily go in and file the complaint themselves," said state Rep. Andy Neumann, D-Alpena, chair of the House Committee on Senior Health, Security and Retirement. "(Under the bills) a friend, or somebody from the financial community, like a banker, could file a complaint and have it investigated."

The House is expected to vote next week on bills that would strengthen consumer protections by requiring financial institutions to do more to disclose the rights of seniors and create new safeguards against fraud, Neumann said.

To report a suspected case of elder abuse, residents can call the state's 24-hour toll-free hotline at (800) 996-6228.

Abridged

SOURCE: The Detroit News

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Son-in-Law Pleads No Contest to Elder Abuse (USA)

August 26, 2009

Daily Journal Staff Report

The man accused of keeping his 81-year-old mother-in-law in a severe state of neglect inside a rotten-smelling San Bruno home faces up to 90 days jail after pleading no contest to elder abuse.

John Thomas Lyons, 56, was also promised that he could have the felony reduced to a misdemeanor halfway through probation if he serves the time successfully. Lyons will be sentenced Oct. 30.

Lyons faced up to five years prison if convicted by trial of the original elder abuse charges.

He is free from custody on a $50,000 bail.

Abridged

SOURCE: San Mateo Daily Journal

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Protecting Our Elderly (USA)

By Thekla Gordon

HealthCare Navigators

August 25, 2009

The recent news of a worker stealing from the elderly has alarmed many people, especially those who have a loved one in an adult living facility.

A recent study published in HealthDay in January found that elder abuse, especially those with Alzheimer’s is prevalent. Although actual physical abuse was rare, 26% of caretakers verbally abused and threatened the Alzheimer’s patient. These are caretakers taking care of difficult and frustrating patients that get caught in situations that are very stressful. Beth Kallmyer of the Alzheimer’s Associations wants people to realize “people can’t do this alone. It is a progressive disease, so the ability of the person being cared for diminishes with time. This causes great stress.”

So where can caregivers turn for help and who will be watching our loved ones when we are gone? These are questions that everyone with an older relative or friend should be asking. Most facilities have methods and safety nets in place to prevent getting over stressed. However, the bottom line is that we are ultimately responsible for monitoring the facility. The Alzheimer’s Association has a 24 hour help line available 1-800-272-3900 and stress test on line www.alz.org/stresscheck. Likewise the Council on Aging for Southwest Ohio (www.help4seniors.org) has emergency assistance as well information on stress for caregivers.

SOURCE: Rodeo Cincinnati.Com

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Scams Against Seniors to be Addressed (NC. USA)

Scams against seniors addressed in Brunswick County sessions

August 25, 2009

Brunswick County - Sept. 1 is the registration deadline for a free event presenting the latest information on abuse, fraud and scams that target the elderly.

The workshop and lunch, “CSI: Cautious Seniors Investigate,” will be held at 10 a.m. Sept. 12 at Calvary Baptist Church, 623 Village Road in Shallotte. It is being presented by the Cape Fear Elder Abuse Prevention Network.

Refreshments, door prizes and lunch will be provided.

To register, call Janeen Padavich, Area Agency on Aging, at 395-4553, Ext. 205.

SOURCE: Star News Online

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Bogus Accountant Defrauded Seniors of Tax Money (Ottawa, CANADA)

Bogus accountant defrauded seniors of tax money, Ottawa police say

THE OTTAWA CITIZEN

AUGUST 24, 2009

An Ottawa man is charged with multiple counts of fraud after he allegedly pocketed money two seniors had given him to pay their taxes while masquerading as an accountant.

The money had been given to him in trust, said Det. Brenda-Jane Kerr of the Ottawa Police Organized Fraud Section Office from the elder abuse unit were also involved in the investigation.

The victims face penalties from the Canada Revenue Agency for failing to pay their taxes, Kerr said, though she said the CRA had been "understanding" in waiving some of the them.

Kelvin Samuel Williams, 37, is charged with two counts each of fraud over $5,000, criminal breach of trust, theft by person required to account, misappropriation of money held under direction, fraudulent concealment and possession of property obtained by crime.

Police believe there may be other victims. Anyone with information is asked to contact Kerr at 613-236-1222 ext. 5943.

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

SOURCE: The Ottawa Citizen

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Court Day for Man Accused of Elder Abuse (CA. USA)

August 24, 2009

CALABASAS, Calif. (KABC) -- A man accused of abusing elderly residents at an assisted-living facility is scheduled to go to trial on Monday.

Cesar Ulloa worked at Silverado Senior Center in Calabasas. He faces charges of elder abuse and torture, stemming from the suspicious death of an 80-year-old man.

SOURCE: KABC, USA

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Beware of "Living Trust" Scams (USA)

August 23, 2009

By Daniel O. Tully

Around this time of year, unscrupulous companies step up their efforts to market costly living trusts to older Americans — arrangements that may actually undermine the buyer’s economic security.
On March 7, 2007, Minnesota’s attorney general became the third attorney general to file suit against two California companies run by the same family that allegedly sold inappropriate living trusts to seniors. Last year, state attorneys general in Pennsylvania and North Carolina filed suit against the same companies. In October 2006, the North Carolina attorney general won an order preventing the companies from selling products in the state while the lawsuit against it is pending.
According to the lawsuits, American Family Legal Plan and Heritage Marketing and Insurance Services, both run by a father and son from California, convinced seniors they were receiving impartial investment advice when in reality the companies were pushing their own products.

The lawsuits allege that sales agents convinced seniors to purchase living trusts that were not necessarily in their best interest and were not tailored to their individual needs.

Abridged

Source: Bristol Press

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Judge Denies Request to Suppress Defendant's Statements in Elder Abuse Case (MN. USA)

Judge denies request to suppress Broitzman's statements in elder abuse case

Plea hearing scheduled for Friday

By Sarah Stultz

Albert Lea Tribune

August 24, 2009

Freeborn County District Court Judge Steve Schwab has denied the motions made by Brianna Broitzman’s lawyer that his client’s statements to authorities be thrown out in the case of alleged elder abuse at Good Samaritan Society of Albert Lea.

In a written order filed Aug. 12, Schwab states Broitzman’s statements were not the result of custodial interrogation and that they were voluntarily given.

He defined custodial interrogation as “questioning initiated by law enforcement officers after a person has been taken into custody or otherwise deprived of his freedom of action in any significant way.”

Broitzman, 20, faces 11 charges, ranging from fifth-degree assault, criminal abuse of a vulnerable adult, disorderly conduct and mandatory failure to report suspected abuse at the nursing home during the first part of 2008. Local authorities interviewed her about the allegations on May 6, 2008.

Abridged

SOURCE: Albert Lea Tribune

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Trio Alleged to have Contributed to Deaths of Eldelry Patients (USA)

Former SNF pharmacist takes plea deal

August 21, 2009

By Cathy Perfect
Kern Valley Sun

Debbi Gayle Hayes, the former pharmacist at the Kern Valley Healthcare District's Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF), agreed on Aug. 14 to testify against two former co-workers.

Hayes, along with Nursing Director Gwen D. Hughes and Dr. Hoshang M. Pormir, who was in charge of the SNF, were charged with over medicating SNF patients, resulting in three deaths. The trio were arrested in February on charges of elder abuse and causing harm or death.

Hayes was facing eight counts of causing harm/death of elder /dependent adult and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon other than firearm or great bodily force. In the plea deal, the 10 counts were dismissed and Hayes pleaded no contest to one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. She was sentenced to three years probation and one year in jail, but the jail sentence won't be imposed if she cooperates truthfully in the case and completes her probation with no further problems.

Hughes' and Pormir's cases were continued until Sept. 8 when further hearings will be scheduled.

The California Attorney General's Office alleged the trio played a role in drugging at least 22 elderly residents with mood-altering medications to quiet and control them. Those drugs led to three deaths, the state alleged.

SOURCE: The Kern Valley Sun

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AL Estate Case Shows Familiar Probate Abuse Trends (USA)

AL estate case shows familiar probate abuse trends

21 Aug 2009

Bell County Legal News Examiner

By Lou Ann Anderson

Texas isn’t the only state experiencing probate corruption and despite diversity in locales, the tactics used in all these cases are stunningly similar. Developments surrounding the $3.2 million estate of Cary Douglas Piper continue to make big news in southern Alabama as an attorney, John Brock, recently plead guilty to third degree perjury for testimony in a probate case which previously led to a conviction for Sherrie Phillips, a former Covington County probate judge, found guilty for the theft of $1.8 million from the Piper estate. The day after Brock entered his guilty plea, an Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals denied a rehearing request filed by Phillips.

Read more here.

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Elderly Couple Seeks to End Their Lives After Being Shunned By Family (West Bengal, INDIA)

West Bengal couple seeks to end their lives after being shunned by family

August 21st, 2009

ICT by ANI

Baguiati (West Bengal)

An elderly couple abandoned by their family members, in Baguiati, a suburban locality in Kolkata, has sought an end to their lives as they have been struggling for the past three years.

Samar Moulik, who retired from Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited (BHEL) and his wife Bharati Moulik, have said that they can’t bear the insults and cruel treatment meted out by their own children.

“I went to the police station, as I believe that there’s nothing left in my life now. That’s why I went with my wife to the police station and we have submitted a letter to police station seeking permission from the officials for voluntary death, so that we can die peacefully,” said Samar Moulik.

The couple have two sons. The elder son, Shankar, a microbiologist, lives in South Africa, while the younger Soumen owns resides in Kolkata.

The couple has one daughter as well, who is settled in Uttar Pradesh with her husband.

Moulik had retired in 1997, and according to the couple, they owned a plot at Barasat town, which his son and elder brother seized illegally.

The couple also claimed that they had returned to West Bengal at their younger son Soumen’s invitation, but he along with his uncle grabbed their property by obtaining signatures through wrong means.

Abridged

SOURCE: Thaindian.com - Bangkok,Bangkok,Thailand

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Woman Charged with Burglary, Forgery and Elder Financial Abuse (CA. USA)

SoCal woman charged with bilking dental patients

The Associated Press

08/21/2009

A San Diego woman has pleaded not guilty to stealing about $72,000 from patients at dental offices where she worked as office manager.

Forty-eight-year-old Emily Forbes of Paradise Hills entered pleas to 20 felony charges on Thursday, including burglary, forgery and elder financial abuse. She's jailed on $250,000 bail.

El Cajon police arrested Forbes at Scripps Ranch Family Dentistry on Tuesday. She's accused of stealing from 18 patients at five dental offices in Chula Vista, El Cajon and San Diego.

Abridged

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News

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No Jail Time for Woman in Elder Abuse Case (DE. USA)

BY SEAN O’SULLIVAN

THE NEWS JOURNAL

AUGUST 21, 2009

A 40-year-old Middletown woman who was convicted in June of financially exploiting and neglecting the care of an elderly man was sentenced today to probation.

Superior Court Judge Peggy L. Ableman said there was no question in her mind that Helen Lloyd had committed crimes but said the state of Delaware bore at least as much responsibility for the abuse and neglect that the 68-year-old man suffered.

Neither the Delaware Attorney General’s office nor the state’s Division of Health and Human services had an immediate comment this morning.

Ableman said the victim should have never been placed with Lloyd in the first place.

When the man was removed from Lloyd’s home, he was dehydrated, malnourished and covered in bed sores, according to police.

Dwyer said he clearly had not been receiving any care for about nine months. She also said the defendant continues to blame everyone but herself for what happened.

Abridged

SOURCE: The News Journal, DE, USA

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Brothers Guilty of Beating, Urinating on Grandmother (UT. USA)

Brothers guilty of beating, urinating on grandmother

By Pamela Manson

The Salt Lake Tribune

08/21/2009

Two Salt Lake City brothers accused of assaulting their grandmother as she was taking a shower and urinating on hBer pleaded guilty Thursday to misdemeanors.

Christopher Eugene Hansen, 22, and Michael Levi Hansen Jr., 20, each pleaded guilty to abuse of an elder adult, which originally was charged as a felony and dropped to a Class A misdemeanor; lewdness, a Class B misdemeanor; and domestic criminal mischief, a Class B misdemeanor.

The brothers are slated to be sentenced Oct. 5 by Judge Robin Reese.

The elder abuse charge carries a maximum sentence of one year in jail and the Class B offenses have a punishment of up to 180 days in jail each. The two could be ordered to serve up to two years behind bars if the sentences are stacked.

Abridged

SOURCE: The Salt Lake Tribune

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Suspect in Elder Rape in Sonoma County Care Worker

Suspect in elder rape is Sonoma County care worker

By LORI A. CARTER

THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

August 20, 2009

A private caretaker charged with raping an elderly woman in a group home has been a Sonoma County health department worker for more than a decade.

Humberto Rodriguez of Santa Rosa, 50, is being held in Sonoma County Jail on $130,000 bail. He is charged with rape and elder abuse. The woman, in her 80s, sought medical treatment for her injuries, which sparked a criminal investigation.

Authorities are withholding the name and location of the care home, saying it would identify the woman. But Sonoma County health services department personnel manager Rick Hall said that the case didn’t involve a county home nor was Rodriguez on duty in his role as a county public health assistant at the time.

Abridged

SOURCE: Santa Rosa Press Democrat

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Elder Abuse: When the Caretaker is the Abuser (USA)

Elder abuse: When the caretaker is the abuser

August 20, 2009

NY Abusive Relationships Examiner

By Oi Yin Lo

Every year as many as 10% of older adults are reportedly abused by a family member. It should be stressed that the statistic is based on reported incidents of abuse, so the prevalence of elder abuse is likely greater than the numbers indicate. The elderly are a particularly vulnerable population for a number of reasons. They are faced with mounting health problems, dwindling financial resources, shrinking social networks and a diminishing capacity to meet their daily needs. As a result, they must rely on professional caretakers or family members to help them through their daily routines.

Elder abuse is a complicated term that has yet to be adequately defined in the eyes of the law. Along with physical and emotional abuse, the elderly are susceptible to some types of abuse that could lead to life or death circumstances.

Financial exploitation

Most elderly individuals rely on a limited income, usually a retirement fund or social security payments. As a result, they may be forced to live with their children or other family members to make ends meet. Family members may take it upon themselves to "take care" of the finances by taking over bank accounts and household budgets, thereby allowing them to spend freely without consequences.

Neglect

The elderly have to face diminishing physical health and cognitive impairments, which makes their dependence on family members for meeting their daily needs more complete. Their caretakers may fail to administered necessary medication on schedule, causing further deterioration of health.

Isolation

The elderly also have a constantly shrinking social network, thereby increasing their isolation from social supports that may help mitigate effects of abuse at home.

What you can do to help

There are a number of agencies that specialize in dealing with elder abuse. Below are some hotlines you can call if you, or someone you know is a victim of elder abuse.

· National Center on Elder Abuse hotline: 1-800-677-1116

· NYS hot line to report elder abuse: 1-800-342-3009

· Nursing Home Complaints: 1-888-201-4563

· Home-care Complaints: 1-866-893-677

Th

tg Abridged

S SOURCE: The Examiner.Com

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Brothers Plead Guilty to Elder Abuse (

Brothers plead guilty to elder abuse

Judge refuses to lower bail for 2 who beat up grandmother

By Linda Thomson

Deseret News

Aug. 20, 2009

Two brothers who pummeled their 66-year-old grandmother, shoved her into a bathtub and urinated on her pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor charges on Thursday.

The grandmother, meanwhile, spoke in court and tearfully said she loved the young men, who paid little attention to her in court and earlier had rejected her request to send a letter to them in jail.

"I just want Chris and Michael to know that I love them, and I'm sorry about what happened," the woman said.

Christopher Eugene Hansen, 22, and Michael Levi Hansen Jr., 20, entered guilty pleas to charges of abuse of an elder adult, a class A misdemeanor, as well as lewdness and criminal mischief, both class B misdemeanors.

Abridged

SOURCE: The Deseret News

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My only comment -- ANIMALS !!!

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