I have a personal situation that’s occurred to my family over a period of about 5 years. In the final years of her life, my mother, who suffered from dementia, fell victim to financial abuse by the very nursing home caregivers we had trusted to keep her safe and comfortable. The nursing facility put her in touch with local attorneys who manipulated her and bilked her out of thousands of dollars and a large portion of her estate. We fought hard to stop them, but they had powerful connections. My petition with the county court for legal guardianship as her only family went nowhere, and my family is unsure where to turn when the system is so irreparably broken. The last few years of my mother’s life were fraught with watching the attorneys separate her completely from her family, until they fought for, and won legal guardianship, only 22 days before her death. She died alone in the nursing home, having fallen from her bed, completely isolated and alienated from her close family. My hope in telling my story is that I can connect with others who are facing the same type of unimaginable situation with their loved ones. There are unscrupulous people who prey on the elderly, and I would love to help at least one person or family avoid the same heartache we fought to keep happening from my mother. I would be happy to go public with my story to the media, but am not sure where to start, as I'm not a journalist or a blogger. Just a concerned caregiver who wishes to help others
That would also be a consideration for press involvement.
AARP Bulletin features articles on families abused and/or exploited by the care and legal system.
I'm sorry to read about this sad situation, and the breach of ethics and standards, but I know from experience that this kind of egregious behavior is unfortunately true.
Another question, why was no family member allowed in to see your Mom during her final weeks?
One has to be very careful about making a public complaint. You need to have all your ducks in a row and a paper trail. You don't want to be hit with action of damaging the good reputation of someone; slander or libel.
For lawyers, maybe file a formal Bar Complaint or take him to court if he is acting like a criminal.
Therefore the Guardian managed financial matters, living arrangements and medical care decisions for your Mom, same as a Power of Attorney. Did your Mom not want to bother with a POA or was Mom's memory too limited for her to assign someone? Or just a matter that she nor the family even knew that a POA would be needed?
I am just so curious how the family was left out of Guardianship proceedings, especially since your Mom had a family. And how did the State take so much of your Mom's estate?
This whole situation is so very complex and so stressful.