NCEA | Newsfeed Collection

Happy New Year, Everyone!

NCEA Newsfeed – Friday, January 4, 2013

The newsfeed includes articles and stories related to abuse of elders and adults with disabilities.  Articles related to elders appear in the top half of the newsfeed.  Articles related to abuse of adults with disabilities appear towards the bottom.  To subscribe to the NCEA listserv, please send an email with your name, occupation, your organization/agency name, city and state, and a statement about your professional interest or expertise in elder abuse to NCEA@UCI.edu.  Like the NCEA on Facebook!

Learn what the Administration on Aging is planning for the Year of Elder Abuse Prevention!

http://www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/AoA_Programs/Elder_Rights/YEAP/index.aspx

Calendar of upcoming elder abuse and neglect events and grant opportunities can be found at the bottom of the newsfeed.

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ELDER ABUSE NEWSFEED

1.         NATIONAL, Huffington Post, December 31, 2012
For-Profit Nursing Homes Fuel Rise In Fraud and Abuse Charges
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/31/nursing-home-abuse_n_2388753.html
The rise of for-profit nursing homes is proving tragic for some of the nation's most vulnerable people, resulting in a spike in waste, fraud and abuse charges brought by federal authorities, according to a new report.

2.         ALABAMA (Spanish Fort), Fox 10 TV, January 2, 2013
Woman arrested for “immense” abuse of elderly man
http://www.fox10tv.com/dpp/news/crime/one-arrested-for-elderly-abuse-neglect
A woman charged with inflicting an “immense amount of physical abuse” on a 72-year-old man is in custody of the Baldwin County Sheriff’s office. The alleged victim was transported to the hospital, where staff observed numerous marks, abrasions, lacerations, skin tears and scars. The man told staff that he had been deprived of food and water for quite some time.

3.         ARIZONA (Phoenix), Lake Powell Life, January 2, 2013
Elder Abuse on the Rise in Arizona
http://www.lakepowelllife.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3798:elder-abuse-on-the-rise-in-arizona&catid=186:latest-local-news&Itemid=18
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office says elder financial abuse is on the rise in the Grand Canyon State. They say reports of elder abuse in the state are up 150 percent in the past decade, with financial exploitation and fraud the most common forms of abuse.

4.         CALIFORNIA (Los Angeles), ABC Local, January 2, 2013
Tips to avoid, prevent increasing elder abuse
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/consumer&id=8940005
This article outlines a common story of elder abuse, and provides tips from Consumer Reports on preventing and detecting elder abuse.

5.         CALIFORNIA (Novato), Marin Independent Journal, December 27, 2012
Novato man convicted of another charge in elder theft case
http://www.marinij.com/novato/ci_22271062/novato-man-convicted-another-charge-elder-theft-case?source=most_viewed
A Novato man who pleaded guilty in an investment scheme was convicted of a second felony charge Thursday after failing to pay restitution on the schedule he had previously agreed to, the district attorney's office said. The man initially pleaded guilty to one elder theft charge on Sept. 26 in a deal to avoid state prison. When he did not make repayments as promised, the prosecution toughened the deal and filed another felony.

6.         CALIFORNIA (Orange County), Los Angeles Times, January 2, 2013
Nursing home worker accused of molesting 69-year old woman
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2013/01/oc-nursing-home-worker-accused-of-sexually-assaulted-disabled-resident.html
A maintenance worker at an Orange County nursing home has been charged with sexually assaulting a 69-year-old disabled woman, and law enforcement officials are appealing to the public to find other potential victims, authorities said. The suspect faces two felony charges related to the sexual assault of an institutionalized victim, and could face up to eight years in state prison and have to register as a sex offender, according to a joint statement by the Orange County district attorney’s office and the Brea Police Department.

7.         CALIFORNIA (Orange County), OC Register, January 3, 2013
Local voices praise new health laws
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/law-382380-abuse-elder.html
New health-related California laws will force insurers to cover mammograms for younger women, require nursing homes to quickly report elder abuse to police, and protect lactating mothers from workplace discrimination.  AB40 resolves a longstanding conflict between state and federal laws related to elder-abuse reports, according to the office of Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada, the Northern California Democrat who authored the bill. The law took effect Jan. 1.

8.         CALIFORNIA (San Diego County), NBC San Diego, January 2, 2013
Woman Seen Dragging Mom Into Burning Home Faces Jail
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Lakeside-House-Up-in-Flames-185382451.html
A woman seen by neighbors dragging her mother into a burning house Tuesday night has been hospitalized and will be booked into jail, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. The 41-year-old suspect is accused of intentionally setting fire to the house by her 74-year-old mother. The suspect faces several charges, including arson, assault with a deadly weapon (not a firearm), elder abuse and attempting to prevent a victim from calling police. 

9.         CALIFORNIA (San Diego County), UT San Diego, January 2, 2013
Lakeside daughter arrested on elder abuse, arson charges
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/jan/02/daughter-arrested-after-lakeside-house-arson/
A 41-year-old Lakeside woman suspected of setting fire to the home she shared with her mother was arrested on charges of arson and elder abuse, sheriff’s officials said Wednesday. The suspect’s 74-year-old mother told police that her daughter deliberately set fire to their house.

10.       ILLINOIS (Lake County), Lake County News Sun, December 31, 2012
Woman arrested for financial exploitation of 93-year-old man
http://newssun.suntimes.com/news/crime/17319254-418/woman-arrested-for-financial-exploitation-of-93-year-old-man.html
A 57-year-old Wadsworth woman faces charges for allegedly taking advantage of a 93-year-old man by using his credit cards and getting him to give her $30,000 from his certificate of deposit. She was charged with aggravated identity theft and financial exploitation of the elderly. She was arrested Dec. 20 after investigators learned she had befriended the man at church approximately 3 years ago. She first convinced the man to give her $30,000 from a CD, then used 8 of the victim’s credit cards to make purchases for herself.

11.       NEW YORK (Colonie), Times Union, January 3, 2013
Cops: Elderly woman abused
http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Fired-nursing-home-employee-charged-with-sex-abuse-4162419.php
A convicted rapist was charged with sexually abusing a 91-year-old woman in the Albany Shaker Road nursing home at which he worked as a maintenance employee. The suspect, a 64-year-old Level 3 sex offender, allegedly inappropriately touched the woman after going to her room to change a light bulb. He previously spent more than 16 years behind bars for the 1983 rape and sodomy of a woman in Saratoga County. He is now charged with endangering the welfare of a vulnerable elderly person, a felony, and misdemeanor sexual abuse.

12.       NEW YORK (New York City), City Limits, January 2, 2013
Graying City Means More Elder Abuse
https://www.citylimits.org/news/articles/4708/graying-city-means-more-elder-abuse
Social workers in areas hit by Hurricane Sandy have received a surge of elder abuse reports. Whether it takes the form of financial scams, emotional mistreatment or physical harm, advocates for New York's aged say the extent of elder abuse in the city dwarfs the resources available to combat it.

13.       OKLAHOMA (Tulsa), KJRH, January 3, 2013
Ways to stop elder financial abuse by those close to them
http://www.kjrh.com/dpp/news/segment_2/ways-to-stop-elder-financial-abuse-by-those-close-to-them
A Consumer Reports investigation has found increasingly it’s trusted family and friends who are abusing the elderly by draining bank accounts, selling valuables, or even taking over their real estate. And those crimes can often be very difficult to spot. This article lists some of Consumer Reports’ tips to detect and prevent elder abuse.

14.       SOUTH CAROLINA (Greenwood), Index-Journal, January 1, 2013
Man charged with exploitation of vulnerable adult
http://www.indexjournal.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=40&ArticleID=15981
A man previously convicted of scamming money from the elderly was arrested again recently for similar crimes that occurred in 2011. He was charged with trespass of real property, attempt to obtain money by false pretense and financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult.

15.       WYOMING (Casper), Trib.com, December 21, 2012
Authorities charge worker with stealing from Casper nursing home resident
http://trib.com/news/local/casper/authorities-charge-worker-with-stealing-from-casper-nursing-home-resident/article_f196b1be-e49e-5999-904e-d0a9af6f078c.html
A worker at a Casper nursing home stole thousands of dollars from a 100-year-old resident with dementia, police allege in an affidavit released Thursday. Investigators found financial records suggesting the suspect used the man’s bank account to write herself checks and make credit card payments.

ABUSE OF ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES

1.         CALIFORNIA (Sacramento), CBS Local, December 28, 2012
Former Sacramento Officer Appears In Court For Alleged Rape Of Disabled Woman
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2012/12/28/former-sacramento-police-officer-accused-of-raping-disabled-woman-appears-in-court/
A former police officer was arraigned on multiple counts of rape after allegedly attacking a 78-year-old woman twice in two years, a victim left unable to speak after a stroke.

2.         GEORGIA (Cedartown), Goupstate, December 31, 2012
Man charged with exploiting vulnerable adult
http://www.goupstate.com/article/20121231/ARTICLES/212311024?tc=ar
A man is accused of exploiting a vulnerable adult after authorities say he spent $2,340 of her money. He has been charged with exploitation of a vulnerable adult, financial transaction card theft and financial transaction card fraud with a value more than $500 in a six-month period.

3.         LOUISIANA (Natchitoches), Shreveport Times, December 28, 2012
Natchitoches couple arrested for abusing disabled man
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20121228/NEWS03/121228017/Natchitoches-couple-arrested-abusing-disabled-man
Two people are behind bars and a 55-year-old disabled man is recovering from abuse after an investigation by Natchitoches parish officials. The victim was allegedly given one glass of water and one meal a day, and the couple withheld his medications.  Deputies obtained permission to search the residence and found the man in a rear bedroom bed in what they described as being some of the worst deplorable conditions they had ever seen a helpless person in.

4.         MASSACHUSETTS (Fall River), Herald News, December 29, 2012
Cops arrest man wanted in robbery of disabled man
http://www.heraldnews.com/news/x2105863263/Cops-arrest-man-wanted-in-robbery-of-disabled-man
When police went to a man’s house to investigate a call about a disturbance, they discovered that the man had a 2010 family court warrant charging him with armed robbery and assault of a 57-year-old disabled man. The suspect and 3 other teenage boys at the time allegedly surrounded the victim at 5a.m., punched him in the face until he fell, and took the man’s cell phone and wallet.

5.         MASSACHUSETTS (Marlborough), Metro West Daily News, January 1, 2013
Marlborough man charged with choking disabled girlfriend
http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/top_stories/x1631898994/Marlborough-man-charged-with-choking-disabled-girlfriend
A Marlborough man was ordered held without bail Monday after police say he hit and tried to strangle and smother hit his disabled girlfriend early Saturday morning.

6.         TEXAS (Mayfield Ranch), Hill Country News, January 2, 2013
COMPLAINT: Woman strangled terminally ill/disabled husband
http://www.hillcountrynews.com/news/article_bb21b74a-551a-11e2-afc1-0019bb2963f4.html
A Round Rock woman accused of trying to strangle her terminally ill, disabled husband, told authorities that he received the bruising and what appeared to be fingernail scratches around his neck by rolling around in his bed, because he bruises easily, according to a felony complaint filed last week with the district clerk’s office.

7.         INTERNATIONAL (Millom, United Kingdom), North-West Evening Mail, December 30, 2012
Disabled Millom Man’s Christmas Saved After Thieves Strike
http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/disabled-millom-man-s-christmas-saved-after-thieves-strike-1.1024558?referrerPath=home
When a disabled man’s Christmas groceries were stolen by thieves, the local police showed up at his doorstep with replacement groceries.

RELATED ISSUES

1.         CALIFORNIA (Fresno), Fresno Bee, December 30, 2012
Nevada woman with dementia sought in downtown Fresno
http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/12/30/3116996/nevada-woman-with-dementia-sought.html
The Fresno Police Department is asking for the public's help to find a 66-year-old woman from Nevada who has dementia and is missing in Fresno. The woman is Sharon Green. She was last seen walking from the Radisson Hotel in downtown Fresno toward Selland Arena. Green is white, 5 feet and 6 inches tall and weighs 190 pounds with short brown hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a black polo shirt with the logo CAMSEC.

2.         MARYLAND (Belcamp), Baltimore Sun, January 3, 2013
Missing Belcamp man with dementia rescued near home
http://www.baltimoresun.com/explore/harford/publications/the-aegis/ph-ag-missing-man-found-0104-20130103,0,7528945.story
A Belcamp man with dementia was rescued from a creek near his home about 1 1/2 hours after he went missing Monday night, the Harford County Sheriff's Office reported Thursday morning. He was reported to have dementia and barely able to walk. Witnesses told police they saw him walking out of his neighborhood at about 7:30 p.m., according to the sheriff's office press release.

3.         WASHINGTON (Morton), ChronOnline, January 3, 2013
Elderly Man With Dementia Missing Since Friday; Police Believe He Hitchhiked Out of Morton Area
http://www.chronline.com/news/article_4ea13bc4-5383-11e2-9a37-0019bb2963f4.html
Police now believe the elderly Morton man with dementia who disappeared Friday morning has hitchhiked out of the Morton area.

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Funding Opportunities:

• January 7: Other (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia)
  • Applications for The Washington Post 2013 Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Management, administered by the Center for Nonprofit Advancement and sponsored by The Washington Post. The award recognizes outstanding management at nonprofit organizations in the metropolitan Washington area. One group will receive $10,000 and a scholarship to the Georgetown University Center for Public and Nonprofit Leadership. Up to four groups will each receive honorable mentions and $2,500. Additional information is available on the center’s Web site.
  • Who may apply: organizations in the metropolitan Washington area that are classified as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
  • Contact: Center for Nonprofit Advancement
    1666 K Street, N.W., Suite 440
    Washington, D.C. 20006
    (202) 457-0540
    http://www.nonprofitadvancement.org/PostAward2013
• February 15, 2013/May 1, 2013
  • The American Bar Association has announced a further round of grants to be made in 2013 that will promote and support innovation in the delivery of civil legal aid.  These grants will go the state Access to Justice Commissions.  The grants will fund projects in seven critical areas of innovation: expanding limited scope representation and other models for affordable services; improving language access and eliminating implicit cultural bias; employing public libraries as point of access for legal aid; enhancing fundraising outside the legal community; creating partnerships with health care and social services providers, government agencies and other new partners; preserving access for low-income people as courts implement e-filing; and increasing web-based delivery of pro bono services for self-represented litigants.  Eligible entities are state Access to Justice Commissions, which are formal entities that bring together the highest level of the state's courts, organized bar, and other stakeholders to support the expansion of access to civil justice for low income and disadvantaged people.  Applications for Grants to Promote the Creation of new Access to Justice Commissions are due by February 15, 2013; applications for Innovation Grants are due on May 1, 2013.
  • Information: www.ATJsupport.org under “grants.” For additional information contact Bob Echols, State Support Consultant, ABA Resource Center for Access to Justice Initiatives, Robert.Echols@comcast.net

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Upcoming Elder Abuse Conferences/Training Events (in chronological order):

·       The Alzheimer’s Association is accepting proposals for their international conferences until February 4, 2013.  Submit proposals here: http://www.alz.org/aaic/care/dementia-care-posters.asp. The conference, titled “Dementia Care @AAIC: Translating Research to Practice” will be in Boston, Massachusetts from July 13-18, 2013. Learn more here: http://www.alz.org/aaic/

·       The National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners (NCCDP) released their famous 2012 Tool Kit on dementia education on November 1, 2012. http://www.nccdp.org/staff-education-week.htm For the fifth year, they will host Alzheimer’s and Dementia Staff Education Week February 14-21, 2013

·       The 6^th Annual Forensic Investigations Conference to be held from May 15-17, 2013 at the Kansas City Convention Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Seminars will focus on a broad array of emerging forensic practices, in sexual assault, interpersonal violence, child and elder abuse in both an urban and rural environment. For more information https://www.saintlukeshealthsystem.org/event/forensic-conference-1

 An archived collection of previous newsfeeds is available here:
http://nceagov.posterous.com/

National Center on Elder Abuse

Center of Excellence on Elder Abuse & Neglect

University of California, Irvine

Program in Geriatrics

101 The City Drive South

Orange, CA 92868

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