Alicia Castelli
The Chronicle-Telegram
LORAIN — Kathy Griffin, an Adult Protective Services supervisor, said that although the prevention the exploitation of the older adult population is difficult, her office can help stop existing abuses.
Adult Protective Services is a division of Lorain County Job and Family Services that assists abused or exploited senior citizens.
“There are people out there who are looking to take advantage,” Griffith said. “Often, it’s family members taking advantage. It’s the grandson writing checks on grandma’s account without asking, or the adult child who moves back in with elderly parents and takes advantage. Then what we run into fairly often is the older person is unwilling to pursue charges against family and friends.”
The adult protection law requires someone from Job and Family Services to investigate reports of abuse, neglect or exploitation of adults aged 60 or older who are impaired in some way and who are living in the community, Griffith said. She added that nursing home residents are protected through other means.
“It’s usually a caregiver who is taking advantage of someone — using (the victim’s) resources for their own benefit,” Griffith said.
Certain people are required by law to report suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation of the elderly. Griffith said that includes doctors, nurses, social workers, law enforcement, preachers, lawyers and bankers.
“We probably get more reports from family, friends and neighbors,” she said.
Anyone who suspects elder abuse can call Adult Protective Services at (440) 284-4465. Calls may be made anonymously, Griffith said.
1 comment:
My mom is 85, has Alzheimers, and has been a victim of financial exploitation. All of her money and her lakefront Bratenahl home was stolen from her by a person that she believed to be a trusted friend. The first place that I reported this crime was to APS in Cuyahoga County, OH. They investigated, if you can call it that, but they believed the "trusted friend's" lies when he showed them a power of attorney and other paperwork including the deed to her Bratenahl home supposedly signed by my mom. They never followed up by contacting my mom's doctor who has since written letters and testified under oath that my mother was not competent nor could she have even appeared competent when the documents were signed.
Because of APS dropping the ball on this case I have had great difficulty getting this case investigated criminally. There is currently a civil suit pending against the "trusted friend" to get my mom's property back but I believe that people that prey on the elderly need to be prosecuted criminally.
I don't know if the Cuyahoga County APS is just too over-loaded with physical abuse cases to worry about financial abuse or if our case worker was paid off by the person who exploited my mom but either way they did a horrible job.
Every one that I've spoken to and everyone that I've written to about my mom's case recommends that I contact APS which to me is a joke. There has got to be somewhere else to turn
Post a Comment