Public Awareness Can Curb Elder Abuse

Public awareness can curb elder abuse

July 12th, 2011

By Lance Taylor

One View

July is Elder Abuse Awareness Month. Why is that significant?  Studies show that in up to 90 percent of elder abuse cases, the abuser is a family member or trusted advisor. According to AARP, the financial exploitation of the elderly costs as much as $2.6 billion per year.

As part of its findings at the beginning of its recently enacted Elder Justice Act, Congress stated that the "proportion of the United States population age 60 years or older will drastically increase in the next 30 years as more than 76,000,000 baby boomers approach retirement and old age." It further noted, "Each year between 500,000 and five million elders in the United States are abused, neglected or exploited." And perhaps most importantly, "most cases ... are never reported."

What is elder abuse? It comes in many forms. The Illinois Department of Aging identifies seven types that, in reality, are not mutually exclusive: physical, sexual, emotional, confinement, passive neglect, willful deprivation and financial exploitation.

Examples: a Chicago attorney got a call from a bank that his client wanted to withdraw $800,000 to give to his caretaker. The caretaker had already induced him to sign over valuable Canadian property. Fortunately, the caretaker is now in a Canadian jail.

Then there was the Georgia case in which the decedent's daughter and her boyfriend "cared" for her mother to gain access to her Social Security checks. In the process, the mother died of extreme neglect. The Georgia Supreme Court upheld a conviction "for felony murder and cruelty to an elderly person."

At the state level, the majority of states now mandate reporting by professionals and providers who care for seniors.

The Illinois statute is the Elder Abuse and Neglect Act. Under its terms, any person who suspects abuse of someone over 60 can make a report to identified local agencies or the Department of Aging.

Certain mandated reporters, such as people engaged in social services, law enforcement and various licensed professions, have to report a belief of elder abuse within 24 hours. And any such reporter is immune from criminal or civil liability or professional disciplinary action for having made the report.

In Oak Park and River Forest, the critical agency is Oak Park Township Senior Services. The phone number is            708-383-8060 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            708-383-8060      end_of_the_skype_highlighting      .

Despite all of these crucial legal developments, the General Accounting Office has reported that the single most effective way to identify elder abuse victims is by public awareness.

So what should we be looking for? Among other things, unexplained signs of injury, unusual weight loss, malnutrition or dehydration, significant withdrawals from an elder's accounts or sudden changes in the senior's financial condition and evidence of overmedication or under-medication.

Each of us can help improve the quality of life for vulnerable seniors by being as mindful as possible of their circumstances. As George Harrison wrote years ago, "Even if you're old and gray ... you've still got something to say."

Lance Taylor is an Oak Park resident and attorney who practices elder law.

SOURCE:      Oak Park.com
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Quarter of a Million Vulnerable People 'Could See Quality of Life Suffer (UK)

Quarter of a million vulnerable people 'could see quality of life suffer'

Up to a quarter of a million elderly and disabled people will see their dignity and quality of life suffer after a legal decision paved the way for widespread cutbacks to home care, charities warned.

The Supreme Court yesterday ruled that a council was within its rights to cut the overnight carer for a woman who needs help to move to the lavatory.

The judges backed the council’s view that Elaine McDonald, 67, a former prima ballerina, should wear incontinence pads at night instead, despite her not being incontinent.

But one of the judges, who was overruled by four fellow judges, warned that the ruling could be used by local authorities to make even greater cuts to care.

Supreme Court justice Lady Hale, the only woman on the panel, admitted she was “troubled” by the implications and said "the consequences do not bear thinking about."

"We are still a civilised society. I would have allowed this appeal," she said in a written analysis of the ruling that Miss McDonald’s human rights were not infringed by the council’s decision.

Charities immediately expressed concern, saying that elderly and disabled people will suffer both mentally and physically as councils stop employing as many carers.

There are around 557,000 adults in the country who receive some kind of care at home.

"Over half” of those people, or at least 278,500 vulnerable individuals, will be affected by yesterday’s decision if councils decided to implement it, according to Stephen Lowe, Age UK’s social care policy adviser.

He said vulnerable people would be: taken to meet friends less frequently, given less mental stimulation and even washed less often.

People who are currently helped out of and into bed might have to wait until mid-morning to get up and be forced into bed by early evening, as a reduced number of staff does its rounds, he added.

Even help with cleaning could be dropped as local authorities attempt to save money, he said.

Michelle Mitchell, a director of the charity, described the decision as “shameful”.

She said: “Older people have a fundamental right to dignity and forcing someone to sleep in their own urine and faeces could not be more undignified.

“This judgment opens the door to warehousing older people in their own homes without regard to their quality of life.

“Care should not be just about keeping people safe. It must enable them to live dignified and fulfilled lives.”

John Wadham, of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said: “Local authorities will now have greater discretion in deciding how to meet a person's home care needs and will find it easier to justify withdrawing care.

“This means that older people's human rights to privacy, autonomy and dignity will often be put at serious risk.

“The court has missed a significant opportunity to interpret the law to protect some of the most vulnerable people in society.”

Miss McDonald, from Leeds, is a former star of Scottish Ballet and received the OBE in 1983.

She now lives in Chelsea, west London, but was left with reduced mobility after a stroke in September 1999 and needs to use a wheelchair outside.

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea used to provide her with an overnight carer, which cost them £22,000 a year, but they recently changed the criteria that such care would only be provided if she was likely to put herself in danger of falling.

The council decided instead that she should stay in bed and wear incontinence pads overnight or move into a care home.

However, she opposed the decision and took her case through the courts.

She said she had a horror of using the pads, which she considered an “intolerable affront to her dignity”.

A spokesman for the Stroke Association said: “We are very concerned about this judgment and call on councils to continue to provide vital services that help to preserve people's health, dignity and quality of life."

According to figures from the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, the average cut to care budgets this year was 6.2% or just under £1 billion, compared to overall cuts to council funding of 10%.

SOURCE:     The Telegraph.co.uk
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State Minister for Seniors Said Some Seniors are Vicious and Abusive (WA. AUSTRALIA)

Jul 7, 2011 

Robyn McSweeney has stood by her comments that some seniors are vicious and abusive (ABC)

The State Minister for Seniors is standing by her comments that some seniors are vicious and abusive.

Robyn McSweeney's comments were in response to the Opposition's questions in Parliament about a report on elder abuse commissioned by the advocacy group Advocare. (Summary of Report )

The Minister said that she often wonders why people think that because the elderly are older, that they could not be as vicious as someone younger.

Ms McSweeney says her comments that some seniors abuse their loved ones were not linked to the question she was asked.

"I am very clear on what elder abuse is but as a politician in our society I decided to highlight another issue that I thought was extremely important," she said.

The Minister also defended herself against claims she changed Hansard replacing the word 'vicious' with 'vigorous'.

"I never changed it and I can't answer but I am going to write to the President of the Legislative Council and ask what did go on."

SOURCE:     ABC.NET.AU
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Time for Granny Cams in Singaporean Nursing Homes (SINGAPORE)

SINGAPORE

Jul 07, 2011

 (The Straits Times - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX)

Last month, an egregious instance of elder abuse in Singapore was revealed.

A camera installed surreptitiously by the son of a resident at Nightingale Nursing Centre in Braddell Road captured videos of three female caregivers abusing and maltreating his very frail mother.

This, however, was not the first documented instance of elder abuse in a nursing home here. Two years ago, the owner of both Serene Nursing Home in Joo Chiat and Irene Nursing Home in Balestier installed closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the homes after allegations of elder abuse surfaced. Five caregivers were then caught on video doing so

.

Such ad hoc solutions aside, the sector needs more stringent government oversight. In its current review of the sector, which comprises more than 60 nursing homes with 9,300 beds, the Ministry of Health should consider setting forth by statute a Bill of Rights for residents of nursing homes.

These could include the rights to dignity and autonomy in making choices about one's care arrangements. The resident should also have the rights to reasonable attention to her individual needs as well as freedom from physical, sexual, verbal, mental and financial abuse.

Such a statute could also require nursing homes to install video surveillance technology, either CCTV or webcams. If it is the latter, family members can access the footage online in real time, using secure passwords. These digital images, with or without audio, can also be stored in digital video recorders, to be watched at any time and from any location.

Installing such 'granny cams' will restore some trust in these homes. These gadgets can bring to light any abuse or neglect while also deterring potential abusers. The video footage will not only be useful in substantiating allegations of abuse but also help to exonerate staff wrongly accused by senile residents or confrontational kin.

A nursing home resident may sustain cuts and bruises because of an abusive caregiver -- but also if she simply hits the bedrails in her sleep, if it is fitful. Thus granny cams can protect both residents and caregivers. Lastly, a live feed at the staff station would help in the constant monitoring of residents as well.

Yet some in the industry argue that, costs aside, having granny cams around will erode the trust between resident and caregiver. Others worry that some footage might be misinterpreted. For example, the video of a worker tiptoeing around to look for a small item misplaced in a resident's room could be misconstrued as an instance of pilfering.

Or a resident recorded moaning and groaning while being transferred to or from her bed may make some think she was being abused. In fact, many a cognitively impaired patient does moan or groan, even though there is no discomfort suffered. Then there are Alzheimer's patients who may be delusional and may make wild allegations of neglect or abuse.

Moreover, such electronic surveillance can only frighten off good help that is already hard to find for this low-paying but difficult job. Most caregivers in local nursing homes nowadays hail from the Philippines, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and China.

Usually registered nurses in their home countries, these caregivers earn only S$400 (US$325) to S$600 a month. Cultural and language differences may make it more likely that videos are misinterpreted.

Opponents of granny cams also argue that installation is an affront to the dignity of frail or incapacitated residents. These gadgets would also record the intimate details of clothes or nappy changes, medical examinations and nursing care such as sponge baths in bed.

Actually, the best video surveillance systems can be programmed so the resident or her immediate family can turn off the granny cam for private moments.

But most residents share rooms, so the concern is also that other residents may inadvertently be exposed. If so, a granny cam law could require families to obtain the consent of other residents in the room before installation, if the requesting family cannot afford a private room.

Alternatively, the granny cam may be angled for maximum view of the resident's bed without also catching other residents. Today's high resolution cameras can be remotely commanded to pan, tilt, or rotate even 360 degrees, isolate a face and zoom in to scrutinise it closely, or even look at the page of a book.

Ideally, a law should be passed to mandate granny cams. If such a law merely forbade a nursing home from disallowing the installation of a granny cam by concerned families who can afford it, then poorer residents, those without kin or those who have lost their mental capacity to ask for it will not be helped thereby.

Moreover, if nursing homes are merely prevented from prohibiting granny cams, those who choose to install one may face caregiver hostility and recrimination.

By contrast, if the law mandated it, then all residents would benefit equally from the technology, regardless of financial wherewithal, family status or mental capacity. In fact, mandating it will cater to those who need it most.

But given industry resistance, perhaps granny cams may be mandated at first only in those nursing homes where abuse and neglect have been documented. As their benefits become evident, hopefully homes will install granny cams, whether mandated by law or not.


To see more of the Asia News Network, go to http://www.asianewsnet.net/home/Copyright (c) 2011, The Straits Times, Singapore / Asia News Network Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com




SOURCE:    TMC Net


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HuiHui Service Robot Helps Out the Elderly (CHINA)

HuiHui service robot helps out the elderly

By Edwin Kee

 07/06/2011

Is China going to be the next Japan when it comes to the number of elderly folk getting around? Perhaps, as it is projected that by the time we are halfway through this decade, China’s elderly population will make up nearly 20% in total – that’s a cool 200 million. The Chinese Academy of Sciences decided that having robots around to provide care for the elderly is a brilliant idea, hence the HuiHui’s development that might eventually see it serve in nursing homes, hospitals, and even around the home as a general nanny.

HuiHui towers over kids at 170cm in height, sporting an omnidirectional base with two arms that have five-fingered hands each. It will be able to fetch objects for its master using voice commands, including delivering a glass of water, or perhaps pouring out a cup of tea. Getting bored? It isn’t going to be able to challenge you to a game of Go!, but it can play checkers, churn out some music, and even dance. 

A laser range finder located on the front of its wheel enclosure won’t have it send missile co-ordinates to the military anytime soon, but rather, it helps HuiHui get around the home without knocking things over. This doesn’t look as though it will come cheap though – hopefully by the time HuiHui is ready for mainstream action, the general populace in China would be prosperous enough to be able to afford one.

SOURCE:     Ubergizmo.com
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Patna Tops in Physical Abuse of Elders (INDIA)

Parul Pandey, TNN

Jul 2, 2011

PATNA: The city with the lowest number of elders dependent on anyone for their living, Patna has recorded maximum cases of physical abuse of elders in the country. A study on 'Elders' abuse and crime in India', conducted by an NGO, HelpAge India, shows that Patna tops in physical abuse of elders with 71% cases.

Sons, who are supposed to be the strongest support for their parents, are the ones who abuse the elder members of the family the most, says the report. 

According to it, 71.4% of the abusers in Patna are sons. Nationally, 63.4% daughters-in-law indulge in physical abuse of the elderly.

Devki Devi, a widow living in Patna City, told TOI, "My son takes my entire pension and still ill-treats me. I don't want to stay with him, but I have nowhere to go."

SOURCE:     Times of India


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Aged-Care Homesw Rationing Incontinence Pads (AUSTRALIA)

Jul 7, 2011

There are concerns a rationing of incontinence aids is forcing veterans in aged-care facilities to sit in their own filth.

Partners of Veterans Australia has conducted case studies of aged-care facilities in the Hunter Valley and Lismore in New South Wales, and in Queensland over the past year.

Spokeswoman Gail McDonnell says the studies found inadequate nursing care and rationing of essential items such as mobility and incontinence aids.

"Countless people ring me and say they just buy the extra incontinence aids themselves so their mother doesn't have to be so embarrassed," she said.

"Because they get full, they get smelly, and they're too embarrassed to come out of their room."

Ms McDonnell says it is an Australia-wide problem, with high-care patients the worst affected.

She says the Department of Veteran Affairs provides inadequate incentives for aged care facilities to offer the required services.

DVA says funding is provided for appropriate care and any allegations will be investigated.

SOURCE:      ABC.net.au

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It's happening again; only this time it is another country. If my memory serves me correctly, there was another country that wanted the Care Homes to ensure that the pads got to be 70% saturated,  before a change is justified.


Well, well. Let those who invented that rule to put on the pads and try that out first. 


Better still, fix the world's economic downturn; by manufacturing a world-first gear to test the percentage of saturation on the pads. May be one with an alarm that goes off, when it reached the 'required' saturation.


Sounds silly?  IT IS !!!  But not funny ha..ha.


............... Andrew


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Critical Consumer Protection Law Takes Effect in Illinois (USA)

Critical Consumer Protection Law Takes Effect in Illinois

Passed in 2010, New Law Will Shield Consumers against Power of Attorney Abuses

CHICAGO, 

July 1, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

Today, a new law takes effect in Illinois that will provide critical protections for thousands of individuals, particularly older adults, who utilize a power of attorney and could fall victim to financial exploitation at the hands of individuals entrusted with making their financial decisions as a power of attorney. The law, Public Act 96-1195, was sponsored by State Representative Emily McAsey and passed unanimously in both houses of the General Assembly before being signed into law by Governor Quinn in July 2010.

"A power of attorney is a responsibility that should be taken very seriously - it is not a license to steal," said Bob Gallo, AARP Illinois State Director. "Individuals who designate a power of attorney must be able to trust that their financial decisions are in good hands.  AARP strongly supported this legislation and we are proud to see it enacted today."

In Illinois, financial exploitation, including abuse at the hands of a power of attorney, is the most commonly reported form of elder abuse, constituting nearly 60% of all elder abuse reports in the state.  On a national level, it is estimated that elder financial abuse costs victims more than $2.9 billion each year.

"Considering the broad authority granted in a power of attorney and the economic impact of financial abuse, it is critical that there are adequate protections in place for both the principal and the agent," added Gallo.  

  

The new law amends the Illinois Power of Attorney Act to provide greater protections for the individual granting the power of attorney, the agent receiving it, and the persons who are asked to rely on the agent's authority.  Most importantly, the law creates liability for the agent in cases of abuse.  If an agent violates the law, he/she will now be required to repay what was stolen (the original law did not mandate repayment). The new law also clarifies to the consumer the guidelines, duties and allowances of the power of attorney and provides clearer guidelines for the agent to act in good faith and in the best interest of the principal.

Several organizations supported the new law when it passed in 2010 including AARP, the Illinois State Bar Association, the Illinois Credit Union League, the Illinois Hospital Association, the Illinois State Medical Society, and the Illinois Banker's Association.

SOURCE AARP Illinois

RELATED LINKS
http://www.aarp.org

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N.J. has One of Highest Rates of Elder Abuse in Country (NJ. USA)

N.J. has one of highest rates of elder abuse in country

01 JULY 2011 05:59

BY CAROL ABAYA

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Elder abuse nationwide is increasing at an alarming rate, according to the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC). For every reported case (more than 1 million in 2010), there are five unreported cases. According to the NCPC, every five seconds an elder is abused.

While New Jersey does not have the highest number of reported cases, the state has one of the highest percentages in relation to the senior population. New Jersey has 1.6 million seniors (17 percent of the state’s total population) and had 176,000 reported cases in 2010. This is 11 percent, one of the highest in the country.

The National Center on Elder Abuse estimates that an alarming rate of between 1 and 2 million people 65 and older are being injured, exploited or mistreated by someone caring for the senior, often a relative.

Mickey Rooney, veteran 90-year-old actor, in a March statement to the Senate Special Committee on Aging, said, “Elder abuse comes in many different forms - physical, emotional and financial. Each is devastating in its own right. What other people see as generosity may, in reality, be the exploitation, manipulation and sadly, emotional blackmail of older, more vulnerable members of the American public. I know because it happened to me.”

NCPC as well as those in New Jersey involved with seniors encourages seniors, family members, friends, caregivers and medical providers to be attentive to the warning signs of abuse and report it to the authorities.

Warning signs include:

·         Financial abuse/Exploitation: Sudden change in finances and accounts, altered wills and trusts, unusual bank withdrawals, checks written as ‘loans’ or ‘gifts’, and loss of property.

·         Physical abuse: Slap marks, unexplained bruises, most pressure marks (particular on the very old), and certain types of burns or blister, e.g. cigarette burns.

·         Emotional Abuse: Frequent arguments between caregiver and the senior, unexplained changes in alertness or other unusual behavioral changes. This is one of the most unreported kind of abuse.

·         Sexual abuse: Bruises around the breasts or genital area and unexplained sexually transmitted diseases. Physicians need to be particular alert for this.

ALERT: There is a substantial difference between elder harassment and abuse, under the law, especially in New Jersey.

In a recent New Jersey court case, an 88-year-old woman filed suit and initially got a restraining order against her 56-year-old son. The woman claimed that the son called her “a senile bitch” and had taken her car keys and money from her wallet. In one instance, the son locked his mother out of the house.

While a lower court issued the restraining order, the Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey overturned the restraining order, finding that the son’s behavior did not constitute harassment.

If the mother had filed an abuse suit, the results would probably have been different.

More information on elder abuse and tips to detect and prevent abuse is available on NCPC’s website www.ncpc.org or by calling             202-261-4120 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            202-261-4120      end_of_the_skype_highlighting      


SOURCE:     The New Jersey Newsroom
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IPPR: Staff Crisis Looming for Home Care for the Elderly (UK)

IPPR: Staff crisis looming for home care for the elderly

Elderly people are receiving poor quality care at home because of a shortage of well-trained staff to help with tasks such as washing and getting dressed, a report has warned.

By Tim Ross, Social Affairs

01 Jul 2011

Carers are rarely assigned to the same person for long enough to become familiar with their needs, the study, published by the think-tank IPPR, found.

Low wages, high rates of staff turnover and an over-reliance on migrant workers have contributed to a “failing” system, according to the report, which called for more government funding to avert a crisis in care.

Research has found that most elderly people want to remain in their own homes for longer, rather than moving to residential care homes and leaving their familiar surroundings and communities behind.

Ministers also believe that improving home care, including help with every day tasks such as meals, dressing, washing and shopping, can reduce the pressure on nursing homes and release NHS hospital beds.

But the IPPR report found too often older people were being provided with “poor levels of care that do not meet their needs” or accommodate their preferences because of a shortage of well-trained care workers.

“Home-care is currently failing this test,” the report said. “Low wages, poor progression opportunities and a stressful working environment have led to job vacancies, a high turn-over of staff, a low skills base, and a reliance on migrant labour.”

In London, which experiences some of the most severe problems with staff shortages, 75% of home care workers come from overseas, the report said.

Carers are too often poorly trained and under so much pressure from high workloads that they cannot spend enough time with the same person to “listen” to their needs, it said.

“In order for home-based care to be good quality it needs to be provided by a familiar care worker who is able to meet the individual needs of the person using care,” the report said.

“High staff turnover rates and employees on temporary contracts mean that older people rarely benefit from having consistency in their care workers.

“Many of the people we interviewed spoke of the limited amount of time care workers are allocated for each older person.”

Estimates suggest that 100,000 people will be unable to receive the care they need across the UK over the next decade, leading many to be admitted to hospital and creating a crisis of “bed blocking” in the NHS.

Up to 1 million more care workers will be needed in England over the next 15 years to cope with an ageing population, but budget cuts for council services mean the care system is facing a £1.2 billion black hole by 2014.

Jonathan Clifton, Research Fellow at IPPR, said: “A combination of better targeted public funding and increased personal contributions through social insurance schemes could fill the funding gap. But more investment without real reform of the sector will achieve little.

“We need ‘super carers’ – high calibre people, paid at decent levels, with good career prospects, who are valued by society and equipped to provide personalised services for elderly people.”

Clare Thomas, from the City of London’s City Bridge Trust, which funded the study, said improvements to home care would mean older people “won’t be forced into hospital before it is absolutely necessary”.

“With the number of older people set to rise dramatically, we must act now to prevent a wholesale crisis in home-based care,” she said.

A government commission will publish plans for reforming the funding of home care and residential accommodation for elderly and disabled adults next week.

SOURC:   The Telegrah.co.UK
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