November 23, 2010

Man Charged With Abusing His Elderly Mother

Many of our reports on this blog involve abuse and neglect of elderly residents at nursing homes. However, the sad reality is that senior citizens are abused in all different living situations, including when they are cared for by their own family members. Sometimes elder parents are even neglected by their own children.

The Times Daily wrote about one of those cases of family abuse last week. A 56-year old man was arrested and indicted for purposeful elder abuse and harassment. The victim was his 87-year old mother with whom the accused lived. Police were made aware of the problems after receiving several different complaints about the treatment the elderly woman was receiving.

Fortunately no physical abuse was involved, but investigators reported that the man controlled all aspects of his mother’s life—to her detriment. As expected, the controlling son has not been cooperative with the police and the victimized mother has attempted to defend her son. The complex mix of emotions involved in these inter-family abuse cases makes them particularly difficult

The local police chief explained, “He was controlling her world and keeping her isolated from everyone.”

Most egregiously, the abuser was preventing his mother from receiving the medical treatment that she needed.

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Posted In: Elder Caregivers

June 28, 2010

Group Forms to Stop Elder Abuse

The Toledo Blade reports on the creation of a citizen run group known as the Coalition of Organizations Protecting Elders (COPE), a welcome development in the quest to provide proper care for the elderly.

The group was founded by Sandra Hamilton after she witnessed repeated examples of elder abuse and recognized the need for increased vigilance to stem the problem and hold the abusers accountable. The organization works with its citizen-members to provide training and information so that members are able to recognize elder abuse and neglect and take appropriate action to stop the mistreatment.

COPE reports that only between 15-20% of elder abuse cases are ever reported. That means that for every one elderly resident saved from abuse, five more continue to suffer. Often the abuse goes unreported because the average individual does not fully understand the various forms that the neglect occurs.

One of the most common forms involve financial exploitation, where an elderly victim’s personal finances are used in unfair, misleading, or fraudulent ways by caregivers or nursing home employees. Ms. Hamilton recalls one instance where a woman literally kidnapped an elderly patient in her care from the hospital so that she could begin receiving the patient’s pension checks, even though the caregiver’s failure to provide proper medical care led to the hospitalization in the first place.

In Illinois, a similar group known as Bankers and Seniors Against Financial Exploitation (B*SAFE) was created specifically to address the growing problem of financial exploitation of senior citizens. One of B*SAFE’s initiatives involves proper training of bank personnel to recognize unusual transactions in the accounts of their elderly customers.

Illinois officials also responded to elder abuse by created TRIAD, one of the first organizations in the nation addressing the issue of crimes against the elderly. TRIAD has local branches throughout the state composed of local law enforcement officials, senior community activists, and other community members to educate the community on the problem. TRIAD seeks to train more Illinois citizens to report abuse so that the neglect stops, the abusers are punished, and the victims are properly compensated.

Our Chicago nursing home lawyers at Levin & Perconti are also focused on stemming the abuse of senior citizens throughout the state. The team has decades of experience fighting for the rights of the victims and their families. If you suspect that similar abuse or neglect has occurred to someone you know, please contact our nursing home attorneys. Too many abused seniors suffer every day, and they deserve advocates fighting on their side.

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Posted In: Elder Caregivers

February 4, 2010

Madison County Illinois: Elder Abuse and Neglect is Too Common

An Illinois county has enacted a new team to review cases of alleged or suspected elderly abuse, neglect or exploitation. This team was organized by the county’s coroner in coordination with the Illinois Department of Aging. They are looking to have several people investigate cases of elderly abuse. Also the team hopes to gather information that will enable them to discover gaps in the nursing home system and the services provided to the elderly. The team leader believes that the elderly are a group that is very vulnerable to nursing home abuse. This type of team should be present in every county throughout the state in order to combat Illinois elderly abuse. To read more about the elderly abuse team, please click the link.

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Posted In: Illinois Nursing Homes, Government Reports, Elder Caregivers

September 13, 2009

Task Force Gives Advice on How to Protect Seniors

As the wife of Baby Boomers hits 65, the need for elder abuse awareness is hitting an all time high. Elderly people become vulnerable to financial abuse by relatives, caretakers and a range of helpers. Experts in preventing financial exploitation suggest the following safeguards:
 Never advertise for a caretaker, handyman or driver. You should find them through senior centers or other trusted sources
 Get references and hire companies to do a background check
 Make a plan as you age to find someone you trust with your finances
 Consider a professional conservator who has a financial plan that is registered with a judge
 Be careful with newfound friends
 Beware of salespeople who are trying to scare you into buying something at extravagant prices.
Follow these steps to avoid becoming a victim of elderly abuse. If you or a loved one has experienced financial exploitation, consult an Illinois lawyer. To read more about the financial exploitation, please click the link.

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Posted In: Elder Caregivers, Financial Exploitation, Financial abuse and exploitation

August 10, 2009

Daughter and Grandson Arrested in Will County Woman’s Death

The daughter and grandson of a 91-year-old woman have been arrested on elderly neglect charges as a result of the woman’s death. The police arrested the two after suspecting that the elderly woman had been dead for some time before the authorities were notified. The suspicious conditions surrounding the woman’s death led to an autopsy. The autopsy revealed that the cause of death was “inanition and dehydration due to elder neglect.” This means that the woman’s death was caused by lack of food and water. The coroner even went as far as ruling the victim’s death a homicide. The two were charged in Will County, Illinois with two counts of criminal neglect of an elderly person and financial exploitation of an elderly person. Investigations had reveled that the two had taken money from the woman’s accounts. Unfortunately, elderly abuse oftentimes comes at the hands of a family member. To read more about the Illinois elder neglect, please click the link.

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Posted In: Elder Caregivers, Financial abuse and exploitation, Incidents, Nursing Home Abuse, Wrongful Death

April 21, 2009

Break the Silence on Elder Abuse

“Break the Silence” has become a phrase used to raise awareness to raise awareness for the reporting of elder abuse. People should report to the local authorities if they are suspicious of any elder abuse. Many times callers can remain anonymous as investigations are conducted. Oftentimes when a person becomes older and increasingly frail and isolated they oftentimes become a victim of elder abuse. There are several types of elder abuse. The types range from physical and sexual to emotional abuse. Additionally, financial exploitation has become quite common in places like Chicago, Illinois. If you believe you or a family member is a victim of elder abuse, contact a nursing home abuse lawyer. To read more about types of elder abuse, please click the link.

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Posted In: Hot Button Issues, Elder Caregivers, Nursing Home Abuse

April 6, 2009

Elderly Woman’s Death was not one with Dignity

An expert on geriatric medicine testified that an 84-year-old Illinois woman did not die a dignified death under the care of her two daughters, both of whom are on trial in Kane County for criminal neglect. The two women are charged in connection with the wrongful death of their mother, who was found in squalid conditions in the Geneva, Illinois house that the three shared. The elderly woman, who had serious bedsores and weighed about 70 pounds, died a few days later in a hospital. The doctor, an expert on bedsores, testified that the woman’s two daughters failed to provide adequate care. The testimony focused on the serious pressure ulcers that were discovered once the elderly woman was brought to the hospital. The most serious ulcer was one that caused her vertebrae to be visible and resulted in damage to bone. This indicates the bedsore would have taken months to form and that the victim spent long periods in bed without being repositioned. To read more about the elderly neglect trial, please click the link.

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Posted In: Hot Button Issues, Elder Caregivers, Pressure Ulcers

February 22, 2009

Dementia’s Dangers are Often Overlooked

Nursing homes are facing more challenges as they admit residents with dementia who are prone to have combative outburst. In one case a 97 year old man was thrown to the floor by a former wrestler, resulting in his death. While this incident may seem beyond control, some advocates say nursing homes could do a better job of reducing the risks of patient abuse. Some outbursts reflect anxiety, fatigue or the side effect of a drug. Also, but issuing abuse-prevention plans for those with dementia, the nursing home can reduce the prospects of residents committing harm. Dementia care and memory care units should be adequately staffed in order to assist the patients. By targeting dementia patients, nursing homes are able to meet the standards for elderly abuse and neglect. Nursing homes in Chicago, Illinois should be adequately prepared to deal with the problems associated with dementia patients. To read more about problems with dementia patients, click the link.

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Posted In: Elder Caregivers, Failure to supervise

January 14, 2009

Elderly woman with brain cancer financially exploited by caregiver

In a case of elder financial abuse, an in-home caregiver from Maywood, Illinois was arrested last year for stealing about $300 from the home of a woman with terminal brain cancer. Elders in nursing homes and those being cared for at other facilities or their own homes are at serious risk for financial exploitation, a form of elder abuse. The caregiver was recently sentenced to 180 days in jail by a DuPage County, Illinois court. For the full article, click here.

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Posted In: Elder Caregivers, Financial abuse and exploitation, Incidents, Staffing Issues

December 13, 2008

Elder Caregivers Need Stress Reduction Help

Elder caregivers need at times just as much support as the elder individuals they are caring for. To ensure that no elder abuse or elder neglect occurs from loved one or from independent caregiver agencies it is necessary to know and care for the wellbeing of a caregiver. Caregivers who deal with patients who have Alzheimer's Disease can take several steps to reduce caregiver stress. The following are a list of suggestions to support caregivers promulgated from the Alzheimer's Association.

1) Know what resources are available in your community
2) Become education about Alzheimer's disease and caregiver techniques
3) Get help from family, friends and community resources
4) Take care of yourself by watching your diet, exercising and getting plenty of rest
5) Manage your level of stress by consulting a physician and using relaxation techniques
6) Accept Changes as they occur
7) Engage in legal and financial planning
8) Be realistic about what you can do and
9) Give yourself credit for what you have accomplished

To read more information from the Alzheimer's Association look at the official site.

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Posted In: Elder Caregivers

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The purpose of this blog is to deliver news and information that is relevant to our areas of practice. The news and information reported on this blog represent the legal actions of attorneys throughout the United States. Our firm does not claim to represent plaintiffs in all of the lawsuits, settlements, and jury verdicts reported, only those noted as Levin & Perconti cases.

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