Physical Limitations Can Lead to “Vulnerable Adult” Finding
MARCH 12, 2012 VOLUME 19 NUMBER 10 Georgia Griffin (not her real name) moved from Kansas to Arizona in 1997. She lived in her own townhome in Sun City West, a retirement community northwest of Phoenix, until 2001, when she moved in next door to her daughter Barbara, who lived in Scottsdale. Georgia’s story was […]
Benefits Eligibility Irrelevant in Lawsuit Over Trust Terms
FEBRUARY 6, 2011 VOLUME 18 NUMBER 5 What can a parent do to ensure continuing care for his or her adult child with a disability? That was the dilemma facing Californian Earl Blacksher in the late 1980s. His daughter Ida McQueen lived with him in the family home in Oakland. She was developmentally disabled, and […]
What is the Value of a Senior’s Life?
SEPTEMBER 6, 2010 VOLUME 17 NUMBER 28 The question addressed in a ruling last month by the Arizona Court of Appeals seems provocative. In a lawsuit based on the Arizona law prohibiting abuse, neglect or exploitation of vulnerable adults, does the very life of the abused senior have any intrinsic value? The Court’s answer: perhaps, […]
Video by Exploiters Leads to Witness Tampering Conviction
DECEMBER 21 , 2009 VOLUME 16, NUMBER 65 Washington State resident Shirley Crawford, then age 80, had a difficult problem to deal with. She had fallen in 2001 and was hospitalized. Her only child, Anne, was severely mentally disabled and lived in Ms. Crawford’s home. Ms. Crawford needed someone to help her with management of […]
Court Cases Demonstrate Two Remedies For Elder Abuse
MAY 17, 2004 VOLUME 11, NUMBER 46 Two recent appellate court cases illustrate different aspects of the law’s response to abuse and exploitation of seniors. Taken together the two cases underscore that protection of vulnerable seniors can be a priority of the legal system. The first case tested California’s law on elder abuse, which permits […]
Employee’s Name Taken Off State Misappropriation List
JUNE 9, 2003 VOLUME 10, NUMBER 49 Financial exploitation of vulnerable seniors is widespread. The problem even arises in controlled settings like adult care homes and nursing homes. That is why the State of Missouri took some extraordinary steps to try to curb financial abuses in institutional settings. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior […]
New York Lawyer Disbarred For Financially Exploiting Seniors
MAY 12, 2003 VOLUME 10, NUMBER 45 Financial exploitation of vulnerable seniors is hardly a new problem, but both the frequency and the severity of abuse have increased dramatically in recent years. Many seniors (or their concerned friends and family members) turn to the legal system for help and protection. Sometimes protectors become abusers themselves. […]
Home Repair Scam Leads To Twenty-Five Year Jail Sentence
JANUARY 22, 2001 VOLUME 8, NUMBER 30 Virginia Detlefs, 81, was living in her own home in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, when she first met Mark Olsen. In September, 1996, Mr. Olsen contacted Ms. Detlefs and offered to evaluate her home to see if it needed any repairs. With the help of his live-in girlfriend Jennifer […]
“Common Law” Trust Provides No Shield Against Lawsuit
AUGUST 14, 2000 VOLUME 8, NUMBER 7 Nancy Bracken, an 82-year-old widow living in Tennessee, thought she had found an excellent investment for her life savings. Richard Earl, managing director of something called Financial Services Company, convinced her that she could make good money by helping to finance a treasure-hunting operation in Florida. Between July […]
Professionals Must Report Abuse Of Vulnerable Adults
MAY 15, 2000 VOLUME 7, NUMBER 46 Physical, sexual, mental and emotional abuse of elderly and vulnerable adults is a growing problem not only in Arizona, but around the world. Such abuse is also a crime. Even the failure to report elder abuse may be a crime in some circumstances. Arizona law particularly protects “vulnerable” […]
