Man Gets 35-to-Life for Sex Assault on Woman 92 (USA)

Dec. 03, 2010

By Eddie Jimenez / The Fresno Bee

A 60-year-old Fresno man was sentenced Friday to 35 years to life in prison for sexually assaulting a 92-year-old woman more than a decade ago.

John B. Green, who declined to attend his trial, was convicted by a jury in October of felony charges of assault, sexual battery and elder abuse.

Green was in court Friday to hear his sentence imposed by Fresno County Superior Court Judge Kent Hamlin.

Green maintained his innocence while addressing the judge, saying he didn't have adequate legal counsel.

Green said his attorney Charles Magill did not present key evidence or cross-examine some witnesses.

Abridged
SOURCE:   The Fresno Bee
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Northland Woman Can't Believe Charges of Elder Abuse (USA)

Northland Woman Can't Believe Charges of Elder Abuse

By Mary Pulley, edited by Jason Vaughn

December 3, 2010

A Gladstone woman who faces forgery charges and whose husband faces elder abuse charges says that she and her husband did nothing wrong in the death of an elderly metro woman.

Frankie O'Neal and her husband, Todd O'Neal, were indicted by a grand jury after the death of Todd O'Neal's 80-year-old grandmother, Evelyn O'Neal, who suffered from Alzheimer's Disease.

Abridged

SOURCE:      FOX4KC

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Keeping Seniors Safe (CANADA)

Keeping seniors safe

Local News

By MELISSA DI COSTANZO

STANDARD-FREEHOLDER.COM

City police have launched a new initiative to keep seniors safe by informing them about issues that could affect them.

The Cornwall Community Police Service will distribute information on phone scams, elder abuse and any other criminal matters which could affect the seniors in Cornwall.

"Some seniors don't get newspapers and don't watch the local news. They're not aware," said Const. Brenda MacIntosh, elder abuse prevention officer. "Some of them are not well informed as to the current trends and issues. Sometimes, they're the most vulnerable. It's tough to stay current with all the issues that surround fraud and abuse."

The service is acting in partnership with Le Centre CharlesÉmile-Claude on this pilot project.

"We want to see how it's going to work," said MacIntosh. "If the project takes off, and I'm very hopeful that it will, we'll have different groups to send information off to."

MacIntosh said she is confident this project is going to work.

And here's how it works: the program will be delivered via email to the center's director, who will be responsible for forwarding the information through email to the center's membership. The director of the centre may also provide hard copies of the information to their membership for those who do not have access to the Internet and will encourage further distribution to seniors.

MacIntosh said she wants to challenge seniors to pass on the received information to those who are shut-in.

"They are the most vulnerable," she said. "There's a friendly voice at the other end of the phone and before you know it, there goes your life savings."

The purpose of this partnership is to ensure seniors are made aware of issues relating to them and to keep seniors, who many not have access to centers such as Le Centre CharlesÉmileClaude or other mediums, in the loop.

"The more information we provide, the better they're going to be when making decisions about money and power of attorney," said MacIntosh.

Upon request, crime reduction/ community partnership officers will make presentation to various senior groups.

Once the project has been fully developed, the service plans on inviting other seniors' groups to participate.
MacIntosh said the length of the pilot program hasn't been determined.
"A couple of months; we'll see how it goes," she said. "We're hoping to get other agencies that work with seniors (involved). I want to get as many agencies and groups involved so we can get this information out and actively talk about this."

SOURCE:   The Standard Freeholder

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Reporting Elder Abuse (USA)

Reporting elder abuse

By John Durso

December  01, 2010

Q: If a staff member suspects abuse of a resident—whether by another resident, employee, or visitor—how must it be reported?

A: The recent enactment of the Elder Justice Act (EJA) in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has clarified certain requirements for reporting elder abuse. The EJA focuses on protecting individuals age 60 or over who receive long-term care services in federally funded facilities.  

The EJA requires long-term care facilities to self-report elder abuse if they received at least $10,000 in federal funds the preceding year. Any individual who is an owner, operator, employee, manager, agent or contractor of such a facility (each a “Covered Individual”) must report any reasonable suspicion of a crime against a resident to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and one or more local law enforcement entities, such as the local police department.

These covered individuals must report all suspected abuse in the facility, including abuse by staff members, other residents and visitors. If the alleged abuse results in serious bodily injury, the covered individual must report the suspicion immediately; all other alleged abuse must be reported no more than 24 hours later. Failure to report will result in a $200,000 or $300,000 fine to the covered individual based on the resulting harm to the victim.  

Because the EJA applies only to elders living in long-term care facilities that receive federal funding, state laws supplement the act.

Most state agencies have 24-hour hotlines for abuse reporting, but persons suspecting elder abuse should call 911 immediately in emergency situations.

Please send your legal questions to John Durso at ltcnews@mcknights.com.

From the December 2010 Issue of McKnight's Long Term Care News

SOURCE:   McKnights.Com
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State Grant for DA's Office to Fund Elder Abuse Advocacy and Outreach Project (USA)

By Nick Wilson

The county District Attorney’s Office was awarded a new state grant that will continue to fund its Elder Abuse Advocacy and Outreach Project at $125,000 annually for the next five years.

The project has existed since 2000 and was created in response to crimes against seniors, who make up more than 14 percent of the county’s population.

The project provides specialized crisis and support services to seniors who are victims of crime as well as a variety of programs that focus on elder abuse awareness and prevention of senior crime.

Since 2000, the project has helped more than 3,000 senior crime victims and their families cope with physical, emotional and financial damages of crime.

In addition officials have conducted more than 250 community awareness programs for seniors and training sessions for services agencies, community groups and first responders.

SOURCE:     SanLuisObispo


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4 Teen Suspects In Norco Slaying In Court (USA)

4 Teen Suspects In Norco Slaying In Court

Crime Experts Offer Safety Tips For Seniors

November 30, 2010

Four suspects accused in connection with the killing of a 78-year-old Norco woman appeared before a St. Charles Parish judge on Tuesday.

Bond for 17-year-old Pauline Deese, charged with accessory to first-degree murder, was set at $100,000. She is accused of destroying evidence by burning clothing linking her 16-year-old brother to the Nov. 8 brutal slaying of Mary Nancy Arico.

Deese's brother and two other teens are also charged in connection with Arico's death. Their names were not released because they are juveniles.

Copyright 2010 by WDSU.com.

Abridged
SOURCE:     WDSU.COM
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Nursing Home Worker Charged With Sex Abuse (USA)

By WKBW Admin

November 29, 2010

30 year old Paul Scott of Buffalo pleaded not guilty Sunday to sexual abuse of a physically helpless defendant. 
Scott is free on 10-thousand dollars bond Monday. He is a nursing assistant at Hawthorn Health Multi-Care Center on Delaware Avenue in Buffalo. Scott will have to face charges in a few days that he sexually abused a 77 year old woman in his care. 


Abridged
SOURCE:     WKBW
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Attorney to Focus on Elder Abuse (VA. USA)

Attorney to focus on elder abuse

by Cheryl Caswell

Daily Mail staff

Advertiser

November 29, 2010

       

CHARLESTON, W.Va.—

The abuse of elderly persons may be one of the most under-reported crimes, says an assistant prosecutor who is willing to work hard on behalf of victims and see abusers brought to justice.

Rob Schulenburg, a 19-year veteran of the Kanawha County Prosecutor's Office, is focused especially on cases of both physical and financial abuse of the elderly. Soon, he'll get an infusion of help for an area of crime that shows no sign of decreasing.

Schulenburg recently helped with the investigation into a man accused of starving his elderly mother to death last year. Walter Hudnall, 66, of Frazier's Bottom, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with his mother's death in March 2009.

Abridged
SOURCE:      The Daily Mail


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New Laws Protect Older People From Abuse (AUSTRALIA)

PEOPLE who seriously neglect senior citizens or other vulnerable people in their care could be gaoled for up to five years under changes to the law, says State Attorney-General, John Hatzistergos.

“Australia has an ageing population and more people than ever are relying on their children and other carers to look after their basic needs, such as food, clothing and shelter,” Mr Hatzistergos says in a statement.

“The new laws will guard against elder abuse and provide peace of mind for vulnerable seniors who are no longer able to care for themselves.”
The New South Wales Government will expand and modernise an archaic section of the Crimes Act 1900 that makes it an offence to place the health of “a wife, servant or insane person” at risk by failing to properly provide for them.
“This section of the law will be updated to include a host of other modern relationships where a person is dependent on another party for their day-to-day care,” Mr Hatzistergos says.

“The changes will protect older people dependent upon carers, parents cared for by their children and people who are dependent upon their de facto partner.”
The maximum penalty for the offence is five years imprisonment.
The amendment to Section 44 of the NSW Crimes Act 1900 applies subject to provisions of the Commonwealth Aged Care Act 1997.

The amendments to the Crimes Act will also remove the reference to an “insane person”, which is dated and disrespectful, and replace it with a more appropriate description of a person with a mental illness.

Council on the Ageing (NSW) president, Kath Brewster, has welcomed the Government’s greater focus on the abuse of older people and the introduction of tougher penalties for perpetrators of elder abuse.
“With an ageing population we are very concerned about the abuse of older people, particularly those who are dependent on carers or family members,” Ms Brewster says.
“Abuse can take many forms including financial and emotional as well as physical, so any strengthening of laws will send a strong message to the community that abuse is simply not acceptable.”




SOURCE:     The Cowra Community News


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Adult Children Most Likely to Commit Elder Abuse (IRELAND)

Adult children most likely to commit elder abuse

By Eilish O'Regan

November 29 2010

There have been 1,389 official reports of elderly people being abused in the first nine months of this year, new figures reveal. The largest category was financial abuse (26pc), followed by neglect (25pc) and psychological bullying (24pc).

Other categories include physical abuse (15pc) and there were also forms of attack reported on the older person's well-being, including sexual abuse, the HSE revealed.

The shocking statistics come in the wake of the ordeal of a couple in their 70s revealed in a court hearing recently in Co Offaly.

Their 38-year-old son, who made them walk around their home naked and take cold showers, was given a 15-year jail sentence at Tullamore Circuit Court.

He had effectively turned their home into a concentration camp and made their lives a daily hell.

However, this is not an isolated case and the real extent of elder abuse remains hidden behind closed doors.

The most likely perpetrators of this abuse or neglect are adult children. Sometimes it is the the older person's carer who are themselves under stress.

"Older people who are being abused are out and about in their communities. Elder abuse awareness should not just be restricted to the health professions," said Age Action spokesman Eamonn Timmins.

He added: "Everybody who has contact with older people should be aware of the possible symptoms -- everyone from post office workers and shop staff who deal with older people collecting pensions and their groceries, to members of older people's groups and neighbours."

He also said that community groups and older people's groups are encouraged to get a copy of the elder abuse information DVD 'Open Your Eyes to Elder Abuse in Your Community', produced by the HSE earlier this year.

Copies are available from the HSE Services for Older People Office, St Joseph's Hospital, Mulgrave St, Limerick, or call the number 061-461141.

'Protecting our Future', the report of the Working Group on Elder Abuse, published in September 2002, outlined the following possible indicators of elder abuse. Symptoms to look out for include:

• Demoralisation
• Depression
• Feelings of hopelessness/helplessness
• Disrupted appetite/sleeping pattern
• Excessive fears
• Agitation
• Unexplained paranoia
• Dehydration
• Malnutrition.

The HSE has appointed officers whose sole job is to respond to reports of elder abuse. They can be contacted by ringing the HSE information line 1850 24 1850.

SOURCE:    The Irish Independent

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