Financial Exploitation Case Leads to Judgment, Disinheritance
MARCH 2, 2015 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 9 We hear variations on this same story once every week or so. Dad (it might be Mom, or Aunt Bridget, or a long-time family friend) seemed to be adrift after his wife (her husband, her long-time companion) died. Then he met this woman who moved in with him […]
Nursing Home Arbitration Agreement May Not Be Enforceable
NOVEMBER 17, 2014 VOLUME 21 NUMBER 42 If you have recently signed a family member (or a friend, or yourself) into a nursing home or other care facility, you probably have been presented with an agreement to submit all disputes to arbitration. Such provisions are very popular among the facilities themselves, though most individuals who […]
Reporting Abuse, Neglect or Exploitation of Vulnerable Adults
DECEMBER 23, 2013 VOLUME 20 NUMBER 48 As people live longer and the elderly population increases, so does the likelihood of abuse, neglect and exploitation of vulnerable adults. Lawyers, accountants, doctors, nurses, caretakers, bankers — indeed, any professional — faces a growing probability that at some point they will be confronted with the issue of […]
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 […]
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, […]
Two California Cases Illustrate Types of Elder Abuse, Neglect
SEPTEMBER 30, 2002 VOLUME 10, NUMBER 13 Abuse of the elderly may be physical or financial. In some cases caretakers or family members may simply have failed to provide adequate care and that neglect may have lead to injury (or even death). Most elder care professionals recognize that all three kinds of misconduct are seriously […]
Nurse’s Aide Disciplined Based On Deceased Patient’s Affidavit
JULY 8, 2002 VOLUME 10, NUMBER 1 Identifying and protecting against abuse of nursing home residents is a difficult and continuing problem for authorities. The frailty and dependence of residents, coupled with high turnover and, too often, poor training and supervision, make it a challenge to prove cases of abuse or neglect. A recent incident […]
Family Charges Physician With Neglect In Supervision Of Care
JULY 17, 2000 VOLUME 8, NUMBER 3 When a loved one is institutionalized, family members usually do not have the skills and information necessary to closely monitor the quality of care. They usually rely heavily on the advice of the patient’s physician to direct the course of treatment. In those cases where the physician becomes […]
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” […]
Adult Home Operator Pleads Guilty In Death Of Resident
MARCH 27, 2000 VOLUME 7, NUMBER 39 Although nursing homes are more familiar to most Americans, nearly half of all elderly residents of institutions live in adult care homes. Often housed in converted residences, adult care homes usually provide personal care, supervision and activities for a small group of residents. Care in such facilities is […]
