Lobster Rescued; Elders Abuse (USA)

Irene A. Masiello

April 29, 2009

 George, the lobster, age 140, was rescued from a lobster tank in an upscale NYC restaurant onJan. 10, 2009 by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) reported the Associated Press. Acting on a tip, incredibly, PETA was able to save this crustacean from being executed to pamper a palette.

Whether our loved ones have been victimized by guardianship or conservatorship abuse, actual physical abuse, exploitation, neglect, medical, pharmaceutical or legal malfeasance, the result is the same—a beloved person has been deprived of their right to life. We must put our experience and anger to work, we need to re-define the litany of horrific abuses against our family members as violation of human rights and re-introduce the words, “ELDER ABUSE,” as an umbrella phrase covering:

We must put our experience and anger to work, we need to re-define the litany of horrific abuses against our family members as violation of human rights and re-introduce the words, “ELDER ABUSE,” as an umbrella phrase covering:

• elder abuse
  
• elder exploitation
  
• elder neglect
  
• guardianship abuse
  
• conservatorship abuse
  
• undue influence (mentally, emotionally, physically by anyone, e.g.: family, lawyers, probate courts, social services, etc.)
  
• medical, pharmacological and legal malfeasance
  
• breech of fiduciary duty
  
• any of the above that shortens life and wellness
  
• any of the above where cognitive ability is impaired or there is diminishing capacity (visual, mobility, hearing, nutritional infirmities, mental infirmities, intellectual impairment, sensory or social deprivation, etc)
  
• in cases were elders sign documents they are unable to understand and/or EXPLAIN the ramifications of
  
• power of attorney exploitation
  
• any action or inaction by any person including family members and professionals that impacts longevity when the elder has specified their wish to live as long as possible
  

Abridged

SOURCE:   Elites TV - Dickinson,TX,USA

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I am not doing justice to Irene's excellent article.  Please go to source for the full-text.

........  AC

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Suit Alleges Loan Fraud and Elder Abuse (OR. USA)

Suit alleges loan fraud, elder abuse 

Investors from Florence file a lawsuit in Linn County claiming a “Ponzi scheme” over millions in real estate loans

BY JOE MOSLEY

The Register-Guard

Apr 28, 2009 10:52PM 

Three elderly investors from Florence have alleged in a lawsuit filed in Linn County Circuit Court that they were swindled out of $2.2 million in a fraudulent loan-purchase scheme.

Douglas Huntingdon is accused in the lawsuit of misleading investors about the rate of return on the loans he sold them and about real estate that was supposed to be securing the loans. The suit also alleged that some of the loans were fictitious, and that the sale of them “constituted a Ponzi scheme” in which a portion of the money taken from new investors was used to pay returns to previous investors.

Huntingdon’s son said Tuesday that the real culprit was a California firm, and that his father, also, was a victim.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit — Paul and Florence Patrick and Norma Seay — all are in their 70s, and the lawsuit also maintains that Huntingdon’s actions amounted to elder abuse.

Abridged

SOURCE:   The Register-Guard - Eugene,OR,USA

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Elder Abuse Cases On Rise: Economy Part of the Problem (CA. USA)

Care providers and relatives also suspect

By Michael Woodward, Reporter (Contact)
April 28, 2009

After suffering two shattered knees and a stroke, Anderson resident Connie Matajcich, 73, needed looking after. She still has trouble concentrating, but feels better now than before her stroke in 2008, she told the Valley Post last week.

"I really didn't know much of anything," Matajcich said of her pre-stroke condition. "I was sick and didn't know what I was doing."

It was while in that state of mind, Matajcich told investigators at the Anderson Police Department, that she was financially abused by her caretakers.

According to an APD report, Matajcich's caretakers "convinced her to enter into a reverse mortgage which she does not understand." She also alleged that profits from the reverse mortgage were then stolen from her.

The alleged caretakers were not professionals, they were not strangers - they were her daughter and son-in-law, Barbara Toman and Randy Toman, the police report indicates.

Adult Protective Services can be reached at 225-5758.

Abridged

SOURCE:     AndersonValleyPost.com - Redding,CA,USA

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Son Arrested for Elder Abuse of 81-Year-Old Father (CA. USA)

April 25^th, 2009. 

RIVERSIDE - A 46-year-old man is behind bars today on suspicion of elder abuse and murder in the death of his 81-year-old father, according to sheriff's officials and jailers.

Charles Edward Ellsworth, 81, died Friday at a Fontana hospital "as a result of being struck several times in the head'' by his son, Michael Thomas Ellsworth at his residence in rural Homeland on April 15, sheriff's and coroner's investigators said.

Michael Ellsworth was arrested at 3:30 p.m. Friday by Perris deputies and booked about 7 p.m. at Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside, according to jail records. He was held on no bail because of an unspecified parole violation, a jail spokeswoman said. His bail on the elder abuse and murder charges was $1 million.

Abridged

SOURCE:    Valley News - temecula,ca,USA

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Seniors Urged to Acknowledg Fraud Exists (HI. USA)

Seniors urged to acknowledge fraud exists

By Michael Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Something about the call just didn't seem right to Karen Tamanaha.

The caller said he was from Bank of Hawaii. He said the bank was in the process of transferring her account and he needed to verify her account number.

Tamanaha, 74, gave him the information — he was very convincing, she said — but as soon as she hung up, she called the bank to confirm the caller's story.

"They said there was no such thing," Tamanaha said. "So we closed my account immediately."

"I think every senior should be aware of this," Tamanaha said. "It seems to me that seniors are very gullible. We trust everybody, and that makes us very vulnerable."

And that's a reality that criminals have exploited with staggering efficiency. According to the AARP, seniors account for roughly 80 percent of all victims of telemarketing fraud, a $40 billion criminal industry.

A true accounting of the impact of senior-targeted fraud and abuse is difficult to calculate because it is estimated that for every case brought to light, at least five others go unreported, according to Mary Twomey, co-director of the University of California-Irvine's Center of Excellence in Elder Abuse and Neglect.

As keynote speaker at yesterday's conference, Twomey urged her senior audience to acknowledge that elder fraud and abuse do exist and that they are empowered to help stem the problem by alerting authorities.

Abridged

SOURCE:     Honolulu Advertiser - Honolulu,HI,USA

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Seniors Face Abuse in Many Forms (ON. CANADA)

By THE CHRONICLE-JOURNAL

April 26, 2009

There are about 2,000 people in Thunder Bay over the age of 55 who are victims of abuse, recent statistics say. 
It amounts to five per cent of the one-third of people in Thunder Bay who are in that age bracket, according to the data by the Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse. 

While physical and sexual abuse can cause the most immediate trauma, seniors also face financial, psychological and emotional abuse as well as abuse through neglect. 
“It‘s mostly families who are abusing seniors,” said Lee Stones, a regional consultant. 
“Despite the fact that I get four to five calls a week and so do police, well over 80 per cent of seniors suffer in silence – they don‘t report on their kids and grandkids.” 
Stones said education is critical to dealing with the problem – much the same as it was such a big part of exposing child abuse years ago. 

Stones is hoping to get many seniors and their families out to a conference on May 4, when the subject of elder abuse will be discussed in Thunder Bay‘s Victoria Inn. 
The conference, Reaching for Balance – Rights and Obligations Regarding Seniors‘ Care, runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Presentations will be given by Robert Solomon, an authority on legal and financial matters relating to seniors, and Tammy Rankin, an expert on elder abuse in nursing homes. 
The conference will also include a panel representing police, educators, health-care professionals and seniors. 

SOURCE:   The Chronicle Journal - Thunder Bay,Ontario,Canada

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Ottawa Man Charged in Fraud of Two Seniors (Canada)

 BY NECO COCKBURN, THE OTTAWA CITIZEN

Ottawa police have laid additional charges against a 48-year-old Ottawa man now accused of defrauding two seniors, and say there may be more victims.

Police said a man offered to help a 75-year-old woman who was his neighbour. After establishing a “relationship of trust” with her, the man allegedly defrauded the woman of several thousands of dollars over a number of years, police said.

Ricky Dean Broome is charged with theft under $5,000, fraud exceeding $5,000, along with 25 counts of uttering a forged document, unauthorized use of credit card data and criminal breach of trust. He is expected to appear in court on May 25.

In September 2008, Broome was charged by police in connection with accusations of fraud against an elderly Ottawa man.

Police said a man allegedly befriended the elderly man, who was his neighbour, established a relationship of trust with him and defrauded him of several thousands of dollars.

Broome was charged with fraud exceeding $5,000, false pretenses, obstructing justice, breach of probation and other charges in relation to that case.

Police said the man lived in the same mixed-age low-income apartment building as the alleged victims, and that the alleged fraud started in 2005, but it took years before the victims came forward.

An investigation by the Ottawa police elder abuse section investigation continues, and police said there may be more victims, as the force “recognizes that seniors sometimes find it difficult to report this type of abuse.”

Anyone with information about elder abuse and/or fraud is asked to call the Ottawa police elder abuse section at 613-236-1222, ext. 5650, or Crime Stoppers at 613-233-8477.

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

SOURCE:    The Ottawa Citizen

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Woman Accused of Bilking Elderly Relative (CA. USA)

McCloud woman accused of bilking elderly relative

By Record Searchlight staff
April 24, 2009

A 48-year-old McCloud woman has been arrested on suspicion of bilking an elderly relative who suffers from dementia, a spokeswoman for the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office said.

Tawni Jo Hunt arrested Wednesday at her home and booked into Siskiyou County jail in Yreka in lieu of $25,000 bail, the spokeswoman said.

Hunt was arrested on suspicion of grand theft from an elder and dependent adult, theft-embezzlement from an elder with respect to property and felony embezzlement.

Hunt, a distant relative of a 91-year old McCloud man, obtained a power of attorney for the man who suffers from dementia and is unable to care for himself, said sheriff’s spokeswoman Susan Gravenkamp.

But instead of using his funds for his care, Hunt is accused of converting his funds to her personal use, she said.

Abridged

SOURCE:    Record-Searchlight - Redding,CA,USA

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Coroner Condemns Bupa Nursing Home for Death (

Coroner condemns Bupa nursing home for death

23rd April 2009

By John Harrison 

A nursing home in Watford has been condemned for allowing a 91-year-old woman to die in pain and covered in horrifying bedsores.

Gwendoline Hoar died while a patient at River Court Nursing Home, in July 2007.

An inquest into her death was held this week and heard Mrs Hoar had been admitted to the home in February 2007.

However, just five months later, with her back, hips and feet covered in agonising and sometimes untreated ulcers, Mrs Hoar died.

A post-mortem found she died of bronchopneumonia on July 12. However, the coroner concluded the terrible bedsores, also known as pressure sores, contributed “significantly” to her death.

The coroner, Graham Danbury, told Bupa managers he found the level of care provided to the 91-year-old as “seriously disturbing

After recording a narrative verdict, Mr Danbury said: “I have to say that in many respects I find the evidence seriously disturbing – evidence about the level of care to Gwendoline Hoar and the levels of supervision of the care given.

“I was struck by a comment by Maureen Collins (clinical services manager at the home) that in her opinion 95 per cent of pressure sores can be prevented.

Abridged

SOURCE:    Watford Observer - Watford,England,UK

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Greedy Kids Pillage Aged (Vic. Australia)

Greedy kids pillage aged

By Karen Collier

April 25, 2009 

AT least 100 reports of abuse of elderly Victorians are filed with a state hotline every month.

Greedy adult children demanding money or siphoning it from bank accounts, selling or seizing houses, and forcing parents into nursing homes are the main complaints.

Experts fear an explosion in financial exploitation as the population ages and asset values balloon.

Talks are being held with banks to clamp down on suspicious transactions and loans.

The money grab has spurred a $1 million State Government campaign to help people fend off financial vultures through advice workshops.

Senior Victorians Minister Lisa Neville said some bank staff, doctors, pharmacists and other workers would also be trained to watch for signs of mistreatment.

More than 1300 elderly abuse reports were logged with a state hotline in the past year, figures released to the Herald Sunshow.

Horrific cruelty cases include victims being banned from buying food or being shunted into backyard sheds.

Others were forced to hand over money or change wills under threat of never seeing their grandchildren.

Adult sons and daughters were the main offenders, accounting for half of all reports.

Financial abuse was most common (43 per cent), followed by psychological (33 per cent) and physical abuse (10 per cent).

More than 100 victims resorted to legal action such as restraining orders or removal of powers of attorney because of violence or theft of valuables.

Researchers say 5 per cent of over 65s are abused.

La Trobe University's Dr Gerry Naughtin said people with declining mental awareness or with relatives who had gambling or drug addictions or mental health problems were those most at risk.

The Seniors Rights Victoria advice hotline, 1300 368 821, operates 10am-5pm weekdays.

Examples:

THE son of a 91-year-old stroke victim pilfered her pension and sold her house to pay for renovations at his own home, falsely promising she could move in with him. A caveat was placed on the son's property so she could claim a reasonable share.

A WOMAN, 78, who caved into her daughter's demands for authority over her financial affairs while she was ill in hospital was then put in aged care against her wishes. She returned home when VCAT revoked the daughter's power of attorney and appointed an independent guardian. 

A VICTIM of violence sought help after a neighbour saw him being assaulted by a younger person living at the house. He obtained an intervention order to remove his attacker.  

Source: Senior Rights Victoria 

Article:  The Herald Sun

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Elder Abuse Charge Added to Ruby Wright's Case (CA. USA)

BY LORI A. CARTER

THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

April 23, 2009

Sonoma County prosecutors added a new charge of elder abuse Thursday to the case of a Santa Rosa woman accused of murdering her husband of 41 years.

But Judge Arthur Andy Wick denied their request to increase bail for Ruby Wright, 59. Wright remains free on $100,000 bail set by a different judge on Wednesday, over prosecutors’ objections.

Wright is charged with murdering her husband, Conrad, 68, on the morning of April 10 in the home they shared on Waltzer Road in northwest Santa Rosa.

Police said Conrad Wright died after receiving several stab wounds during a struggle over a knife. Ruby Wright was also injured and apparently tried to overdose on pills before calling 911 to report the incident.

Abridged

SOURCE:     Santa Rosa Press Democrat - Santa Rosa,CA,USA

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States Slashing Social Programs for Vulnerable

By Erik Eckholm, The New York Times

April 11, 2009

 

Battered by the recession and the deepest and most widespread budget deficits in several decades, a large majority of states are slicing into their social safety nets — often crippling preventive efforts that officials say would save money over time. 

Perhaps nowhere have the cuts been more disruptive than in Arizona, where more than 1,000 frail elderly people are struggling without home-care aides to help with bathing, housekeeping and trips to the doctor. Officials acknowledge that some are apt to become sicker or fall, ending up in nursing homes at a far higher cost. 

Abridged

SOURCE:    The New York Times

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Please go to source for full-text.  

The situation should be labelled 'International'.  With the global situation of severe economic downturn, many countries will be slashing their fundings for services for the frail and vulnerable.

The short-term gain will undoubtedly lead to more hospital emergency admissions for the neglected seniors.  What then?

..................  AC

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Rise in Elderly Abuse Just 'the Tip of the Iceberg' (Ireland)

By: Marian Harrison

 April 22, 2009

MORE than 260 cases of abuse of the elderly in the West of Ireland were reported to the Health Service Executive (HSE) last year and campaigners say that is just the tip of the iceberg. 

Figures for the nine western counties - including Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo and Galway - show the number of referrals in 2008 were more than twice that of 2007 when 111 cases were reported. 

However, the formal process of collecting national statistics on the abuse of the elderly only started in 2007 and only covered nine months of that year. A total of 135 referrals in the west last year related to people between 65 and 79 years of age and 129 alleged cases were in connection with people over the age of 80. 

Nationally, more than a quarter of reported cases were for psychological abuse with self-neglect and neglect also problematic. A total of 12 per cent of the complaints were for physical abuse, including slapping, but only one per cent of alleged cases related to sexual abuse. 

Age Action Ireland say the figures are “just the tip of the iceberg”. 

“The fact that the number of cases referred to the HSE was double the number in 2007 is of grave concern,” said spokesperson Eamon Timmins. 

“International research has found that between three per cent and five per cent of the older populations in other countries have been victims of elder abuse. If applied to the Republic of Ireland this would mean that between 14,000 and 23,000 older people would have experienced elder abuse during the latter years of their lives.” 

Minister for Older People, Máire Hoctor, has urged people to continue “to open their eyes to elder abuse”. 

The HSE has developed an elder abuse service to prevent such abuse. 

Abridged

SOURCE:    WesternPeople.ie

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Awareness is Seniors' Best Weapon Against Crime

Victims seminar teaches about common scams, tips on protection

By Heidi Roman
C & G Staff Writer

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Senior citizens can arm themselves with a good defense against the many scam artists out there trying to rob them of their money. Macomb County is planning a free Crime Victims Rights Week seminar April 30 in Clinton Township to teach seniors how to protect themselves from current scams and caregiver abuse.

Cathy Wilson, a program developer with the Macomb County Department of Senior Citizen Services, said domestic crimes, especially against seniors, are on the rise.

“The types of senior crimes we deal with are elder abuse, financial abuse, and those types of things,” Wilson said. “With the economy being as bad as it is, kids are moving in with their parents, and sometimes that causes problems.”

She said cases of physical abuse are also reported.

There has also been a rise in what are known as gypsy scams, or those in which a stranger targets a senior at their home, either by phone or in person, and somehow convinces them to give them money. They often convince the senior to let them inside and steal once they gain entry, posing as utility workers or handymen to try to gain their trust. Oftentimes, the suspect is not from this area.

“We see an increase in that in the spring,” because of the warmer weather, Wilson said. “We hear about those types of crimes, and we try to get that information out to the seniors.”

The focus of the Crime Victims Rights Week seminar is for people who have been victimized.

The event is free, but those who wish to attend must register to reserve a seat. Reservations can be made by calling (586) 469-5267.

The seminar will be 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 30 at the Macomb Intermediate School District building at 44001 Garfield Road, north of 19 Mile Road in Clinton Township. Morning refreshments and lunch will be served.

Any senior who feels they may have been the victim of fraud or abuse can call the county’s Senior Victim Liaison toll-free number at (866) 498-8503. A list of current scams circulating in the area is available at the Prosecutor’s Office Web site,www.macombcountymi.gov/prosecutorsoffice.

Abridged

SOURCE:     C&G Newspapers - Detroit,MI,USA

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Elder Abuse Task Force Establishes Online Presence (PA. USA)

Elder Abuse Task Force establishes online presence
04-21-09

 The Luzerne-Wyoming Counties Elder Abuse Task Force of Pennsylvania, co-chaired by the Luzerne-Wyoming Counties Area Agency on Aging and the Ethics Institute of Northeastern Pennsylvania at Misericordia University, is hosting a Senior Financial Fraud Seminar on Wednesday, June 24 from 9 a.m. to noon in the Catherine Evans McGowan Room of the Mary Kintz Bevevino Library at Misericordia University.

The in-service training session for members of the banking and financial communities is free. The seminar will focus on identity theft and preventing financial abuse of the elderly. For more information or to register, please contact the Ethics Institute of NEPA at Misericordia University at (570) 674-7201 or log on to www.elderabusetaskforce.org.

Abridged

SOURCE:    College Misericordia - Dallas,PA,USA

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Figures Show a High Rise in Elder Abuse Claims (Wales, UK)

Shock figures show a high rise in elder abuse claims

April 21, 2009

MORE elderly and vulnerable people than ever are having their savings pilfered by those supposed to be caring for them, shock figures have suggested.

The number of claims of financial abuse against vulnerable adults in Carmarthenshire has risen by almost 700 per cent in four years, according to a report for the council, which also reveals allegations of other types of abuse to be on the rise — particularly physical and neglect.

Latest figures show there were six cases of alleged financial abuse in the county in 2003/04, but that had risen to 47 in 2007/08.

But the most common accusations are of physical abuse, which rose from 16 to 62 during the same period, and neglect which saw an increase from six to 62.

The largest groups of the alleged victims were older people (52 per cent of all allegations) and people with learning disabilities (27 per cent). Women make up some 63 per cent of the alleged victims.

SOURCE:     South Wales Evening Post - Swansea,Wales,UK

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Elder Abuse Investigators Probing Allegations of a Judge (FL. USA)

DCF probes gifts to family of former Broward judge

The relationship between former Broward Circuit Judge Larry Seidlin and an elderly woman in his condominium is under scrutiny again, this time by the Department of Children & Families.

04.21.09

BY DIANA MOSKOVITZ

 

Two years ago, Barbara Kasler gushed to a reporter about her neighbor Larry Seidlin, the Broward County judge who gained notoriety for his emotional handling of the custody proceedings involving the late Anna Nicole Smith's baby daughter.

Now, state elder-abuse investigators are looking into allegations that Seidlin took advantage of 83-year-old Kasler, taking her for thousands of dollars while watching her health deteriorate.

The Department of Children & Families declined to comment, saying only that its investigation is ongoing.

Abridged

SOURCE:    MiamiHerald.com - Miami,FL,USA

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Doctors on the Frontline of Elder Abuse Awareness (Ireland)

‘Administration only coping on to abuse’ – doctor

Written by Lloyd Mudiwa

 21 April 2009

Clinicians on the frontline have been aware for some time now of the prevalence of elder abuse that was only being highlighted by the HSE now, a leading consultant geriatrician has charged.

Dr Christine O’Malley last week contended it was not that elderly abuse had doubled, but its reporting had improved.

She was referring to reports that complaints of elder abuse in Ireland almost doubled last year. A new report for the HSE showed that the number of abuse cases rose from 927 in 2007 to 1,840 in 2008.

More than a quarter of the allegations involved psychological abuse, almost one-fifth involved neglect, and 16 per cent referred to financial matters.

In 12 per cent of cases, the alleged abuse was physical.

“Up to now the people who have known about this were the health specialists who come into close contact with the patient and their families.

“The administration are always a step behind the doctors, who have been raising this issue for some time now. Perhaps they will now get support from the administration to deal with the issue,” Dr O’Malley commented.

The perpetrator of the abuse was usually a close relation to the older person, with almost two-thirds of those abused being female. The most common person to report a case was a public health nurse, hospital or HSE staff member. Referrals by family members accounted for less than 15 per cent of cases.

The HSE last week said it was making progress in addressing the issue of elder abuse.

“The HSE is committed to protecting older people from all forms of abuse, regardless of where it occurs or who the perpetrators might be,” Mr Frank Murphy, Chairman of the HSE’s National Elder Abuse Steering Committee said.

“Over time, the collection and collation of elder abuse data will prove invaluable in informing the planning and delivery of services for older people,” he added.

SOURCE:    Irish Medical News - Dublin,Ireland

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Respect for the elderly and Elder Abuse (Barbados)

Respect the elderly – we all get old some day!

4/19/2009

By Danielle Holder

Even though it has existed for quite some time now, abuse of elderly persons is increasingly being brought to light. 

Elder abuse can be broadly defined as the deliberate neglect and mistreatment of an elderly person, especially one who is no longer in a position (either physically or mentally) to take care of himself and depends on another person to provide this function.

Like domestic abuse, there are different types of geriatric abuse:

• Physical abuse. This refers to the deliberate use of unnecessary force, restraint or confinement against the victim. Actions include hitting, pushing and also the malicious or inappropriate administration of drugs and medication.

• Emotional abuse. This refers to those actions which cause emotional or psychological distress or anguish. This can be further divided into two categories: Verbal abuse, including yelling, cursing, insulting, etc. and non-verbal abuse, such as ignoring the individual or isolating him from the outside world.

• Sexual abuse. This includes most obviously attempting to or engaging in sexual activity against the victim’s will, as well as showing him or her pornographic material or forcing the individual to watch sex acts.

• Neglect: This is failure of the caretaker to perform the duties of his or her job and refusing to provide the (level of) care deserving of and needed by the victim.

• Financial abuse and exploitation: This is the dishonest access to and use of the victim’s funds. These include cash, cheques (personal, disability, pension, etc.) credit cards, forgery of the victim’s signature and identity theft.

Here in Barbados, some people have taken to essentially “dumping” their elderly relatives at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, the Geriatric Hospital and even the Psychiatric Hospital because they either can’t be bothered, or in some cases, don’t have the necessary money or help to provide the care that is needed. Often times they are left lonely and forgotten; the burden of the Government. It is truly a very sad and disheartening reality. No one disputes the fact that caring for an elderly person can be tiring and at times frustrating, but their abuse never should be allowed to happen in the first place, much less continue.

Let us respect and revere our grandparents and great-grandparents; treat them the way you would want to be treated at their age, as they were the ones who worked so hard many years ago to build a society which we now enjoy. As the theme song of that old commercial goes, “Don’t abandon them, lend a helping hand and remember they are treasures of our land”.

Abridgged

SOURCE:     Barbados Advocate - Barbados

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Rescued Elder Abuse Victims: What Now? (International)

By Andrew C

It must be a relief for victims of elder abuse to have someone who will listen to their ‘story’ and then be rescued from an abusive situation.

What happens to elder abuse victims, after they have been rescued from an abusive situation?

What if the abuser was a spouse or family member?

Can they ever forgive the abuser(s) and resume ‘normal’ relationship?

We cannot begin to imagine the pains victims have to go through in the aforesaid scenarios.

Many of the victims find it hard to resume relationship with their abuser(s). Do we blame them?

The tragic fact is that many victims just do not have services available to them for support or counseling. They might have lost the only carer they had.

Unlike child abuse victims who get support services to ensure that they can move on with their lives; elder abuse victims are often expected to do it alone. After all, they are adults and should be able to look after themselves.

NOT TRUE!

Firstly, victims of elder abuse are often vulnerable because of their frailty in health. They are often isolated by their abusers, so they just do not have the support needed. And, we wondered why many do not report elder abuse?

What can we do about such situations?

How can we support the victims after the rescue?

There are no simple solutions. Some may say that it is impossible to give them any sort of support.  They (the victims) are on their own.

Political move like ‘dignity drive’ is great, but where are the support systems that help the drive along?

I have posted too many questions here, but they have to be asked because many victims are already too traumatized to ask them. Some victims may even have the notion that they had been a nuisance by reporting the abuses. They were brought up to keep shameful family secrets to themselves.

I do not have any answers to questions posed here. Perhaps, some others may have the ability to take up the challenge of pushing for support for the ‘rescued’ elder abuse victims.

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Hotline for Elder Abuse Victims (ON. Canada)

New provincial hotline for elder abuse victims receives local praise

— By Tim Whitnell, Post staff

Apr 17, 2009

A provincial hotline to aid seniors who may be victims of abuse is another welcome tool in fighting such crime, says a regional police officer.

The Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (ONPEA) has launched a new free, confidential, province-wide phone service to assist at-risk seniors. The new Seniors Safety Line — 1-866-299-1011 — provides 24 hours a day, seven-day-a-week assistance, in 150 languages.

In June 2008, the Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Ontario government, awarded ONPEA a three-year, $415,700 grant to help with the set-up of the hotline.

ONPEA projects that the new hotline will provide support to more than 4,000 seniors in the first year of operation.

The Halton Seniors Helpline (1-866-457- 8252) provides information to assist seniors within the community in resolving issues and obtaining assistance in addressing situations such as physical, emotional or financial abuse or neglect.

The Halton service has trained senior volunteers answering the phones Monday-Friday from 11 a. m.-2 p. m. Outside of those hours, you can leave a message. If a situation is a crisis, police urge people to call 911.

Brennan said the Halton Seniors Help Line handled 400 calls in the past year. “Calls are increasing for things from elder abuse to general information. Eighty per cent of elder abuse is not reported so it's good to see they are calling and realizing there are resources out there,” she said.

Abridged

SOURCE:     Burlington Post - Burlington,ON,Canada

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