The Guardian Blog : Arizona Nursing Home Lawyer & Attorney : Solomon & Relihan Law Firm : AZ Assisted Living Neglect & Abuse : The Guardian Blog

This week, USA Today reported on the rise of shelters for elder abuse victims. As the elderly population increases rapidly and the economy forces more and more elderly Americans to live with family members, abuse by family members has grown. These shelters provide refuge for victims of abuse by family members.

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Elder abuse has many faces and can be subtle enough that it remains undetected for long periods of time. In Carson City, NV the state has closed down a Las Vegas assisted living center after accusations that it’s elderly residents were physically abused and had their money stolen from them.

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A woman and her boyfriend pleaded guilty to charges of abduction and face sentencing at the end of this month after they were accused of locking the woman’s mother in an attic. The couple reportedly abducted the 59-year-old woman inside her own attic one year ago during a heat emergency in Ohio. Temperatures in the city of Cincinnati reached the 90s when the woman was trapped in the attic.

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A 40-year-old man and his 63-year-old mother appeared in court on June 2nd to determine if they were eligible for a reduced bond, however, a judge denied the reduced bond and kept it at $50,000 based on evidence provided in their case. The mother and son pair were accused of beating the man’s 74-year-old father because they got upset with him when they were trying to help him change his diaper.

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According to the Los Angeles Times, a 91-year-old woman who was under the care of her 26-year-old great-niece died weighing only 35 pounds with sores all over her body. The 26-year-old was attempting to get her great-aunt to drink water when she stopped breathing. The woman tried calling 9-1-1 but was medical personal could not revive the woman.

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A 79-year-old woman got back $2,000 thanks to the assistance of an elder abuse task force in Flint, MI. The woman originally lost the money after two employees from a tree trimming service stole the money from her. The woman was allegedly approached by the two men who were persistent in convincing the woman that she should take their service. They were able to convince her that her neighbors requested them to offer her the service.

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A state agency in Vermont has agreed to hire new staff members, responding to calls within 48 hours, and creating new procedures to avoid future problems. According to the report, the state agency currently has a backlog of over 300 cases awaiting investigation. The Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living was facing a lawsuit from the Vermont Legal Aid and two other groups pending an agreement to the plan set out to correct the problem. The advocacy groups became aware of the backlog in a meeting held by state officials in December.

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A woman in Long Beach who worked as a caretaker was sentenced to 4 years in state prison after she was accused and convicted of elder abuse, forgery and fraud. The woman reportedly stole a 74-year-old elderly woman’s life savings while she provided in-home care for the woman.

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The Patriot Ledger in Massachusetts reports that while reports of elder abuse and neglect continue to rise in the state, cuts in funding continue to put a strain in the assistance of state is able to provide for abuse victims. A legislative meeting took place on the 16th to discuss the problem and several state agencies spoke on behalf of many abuse victims that they are trying to assist.

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In Hilton Head Island, South Carolina a caregiver at an assisted living center was charged with elder abuse that she committed against several of the women staying there. The Hilton Head assisted living center reported that the 41-year-old Sonia King of Estill will be charged with three counts of abuse of a vulnerable adult. 

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A 73-year-old woman was reportedly abused by staff members at the Fair Oaks Residential Elderly Care facility. This incident was caught on a video camera that the woman’s grandson installed in her room. According to the report, these cameras are known as “granny cams” and they are used for the protection of seniors.

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The Lehigh Acres Citizen reports that an investigation in Cape Coral, Florida has been launched as a result of alleged elder abuse. On November 16th, Cape Coral police were contacted after two people reported that they received information that their relatives were being abused in the facility.

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Many elderly individuals choose to live alone despite persistent health complications. This can be dangerous and can cause death or serious injury if they are unable to contact authorities or medical aid. In Fairfield, Maine 89-year-old Ruth Shillinglaw Johnson was found laying on her bathroom floor after a neighbor called authorities about her absence. 

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UPI.com reports that the U.S. government has given money for six states to develop programs for criminal background checks for people that want to apply for positions as long-term care providers. Department of Health and Human Services secretary Kathleen Sebelius has stated that the Affordable Care Act will include the National Background Check Program, which will provide the ability to determine a person’s qualifications regarding prior criminal charges.

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According to a report on the Ukiah Daily Journal, the county of Mendocino in California will be hiring an investigator to examine cases of elder abuse. The District Attorney in Mendocino County stated the investigator will be specifically working on cases of elder abuse to prosecute people that abuse elders either physically or financially.

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A woman in Illinois has been charged with criminal neglect following the death of her mother. 53-year-old Brenda Tucker could potentially face up to 5 years in jail if she is convicted in the death of her 82-year-old mother Betty Tucker. According to the report, the prosecutors in this case argued that Tucker did not provide adequate care for her mother and should face criminal penalties for her death.

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A man in Coconut Creek, FL has been charged with felony elder abuse in connection with the death of his 62-year-old brother. The 62-year-old man was reportedly sleeping on a couch in his own waste for about three months until his death last week. The man was discovered emaciated covered with small sores all over his body.

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A woman in Albuquerque, NM has been sent to jail for three years following an incident where she and her former husband stole approximately $40,000 from her mother-in-law. 32-year-old Christina Dreischmeyer will spend three years in prison on charges of fraud, neglect, residential abuse and attempted larceny against her 72-year-old mother-in-law.

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The website woai.com has reported that they have received several complaints about a San Antonio nursing home that reportedly has not had air conditioning for several weeks. The complaints stem from the fact that residents have been asked on numerous occasions to remain out of the dining room area and eat in their rooms because of the lack of air conditioning.

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The Illinois Government News Network has posted a report on their website discussing a bill that Governor Pat Quinn has signed that will protect elderly individuals in Illinois from suffering elder financial abuse. The report states that this new law will call for financial institutions to set stronger methods in place to identify and report financial abuse of elderly individuals.

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According to a report on citizen-times.com, The 30^th Judicial District Domestic Violence-Sexual Assault Alliance is currently sponsoring training sessions in North Carolina to recognize and prevent elder abuse. According to the report, training will not only be for the public but for law enforcement, medical personnel and agencies as well.

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While society has made great strides in highlighting and fighting abuse against women and children over the last 30 years, elder abuse has not gained the same amount of attention. A first-of-its-kind center at the University of California-Irvine is hoping to change that. The Center of Excellence on Elder Abuse & Neglect provides technical assistance, best-practices information, multidisciplinary training, and research to elder care professionals throughout the state.

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Officials in South Texas have formed a task force to fight elder abuse.  Reported crimes against the elderly were up 15% in Texas last year, and the task force will attempt to fight this problem by focusing on training for nursing home staff and financial exploitation of the elderly.

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A report in the Cleveland Jewish News documents the growing problem of financial exploitation of the elderly.  Americans aged 70-90 are the wealthiest age group in the country and new technologies such online banking have made financial exploitation easier than ever.

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