Newsfeed – Wednesday, September 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 us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!
Did you know? A calendar of upcoming elder abuse and neglect events and funding opportunities can be found at the bottom of the newsfeed.
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ELDER ABUSE NEWSFEED
NATIONAL, News-Daily, September 3, 2013
BBB releases list of scams against seniors
http://www.news-daily.com/news/2013/sep/03/bbb-releases-list-of-scams-against-seniors/
The BBB and FBI have released a list of scams and fraud schemes seniors should be aware of.
CALIFORNIA, on Wall Street, September 1, 2013
Spotting elder financial abuse
http://www.onwallstreet.com/ows_issues/23_9/spotting-elder-financial-abuse-2686352-1.html
A 78-year-old Wells Fargo client supplied scam artists with his wife’s personal information and also sent $88,000 thinking he had hit the jackpot. The bank stopped the “last payment” of $50,000 to be transferred, persuading the client’s family to get involved.
CALIFORNIA (Monterey), the Californian, September 4, 2013
Seaside man sentenced for financial elder abuse
Monterey County District Attorney Dean Flippo has announced Nito Sefa, 29, of Seaside, was sentenced to four years in prison for financial elder abuse. Sefa posed as a licensed contractor and then stole seven different victim’s checks.
CALIFORNIA (Oceanside), 10 News, September 2, 2013
Deputies shoot suspect who allegedly attacked his mother
http://www.10news.com/news/elder-abuse-suspect-shot-while-resisting-arrest-in-oceanside-09022013
A knife-wielding man who allegedly attacked and injured his mother and was shot and wounded by officers while resisting arrest Sunday was in custody Monday.
CALIFORNIA (Redwood City), the Daily Journal, September 2, 2013
Prolific pot doc claims elder abuse
An 81-year-old Redwood Shores doctor has filed a police report claiming elder abuse by his wife’s middle-aged son. Redwood City police confirmed there is an open investigation into the doctor’s claim that his stepson is taking advantage of him by using an ATM card and vehicle owned by the doctor without authorization.
ILLINOIS (Zion), News-Sun, August 20, 2013
Zion police investigate complaint against nursing care facility
Zion daughter doesn’t believe that an abscessed tooth gave her 87-year-old mother a black eye or the severely fractured jaw that landed her in Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan, but she says a nurse at a Zion care facility insisted that was the case. Zion police are investigating the incidents to determine if it was abuse.
MINNESOTA (Mankato), 12 Fox, September 4, 2013
Mankato woman charged with financial exploitation
http://www.keyc.com/story/23340848/mankato-woman-charged-with-financial-exploitation
A Mankato woman is accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a vulnerable adult who is diagnosed with dementia. According to the criminal complaint, the woman unlawfully took more than a half million dollars from this 80-year-old man on spending sprees such as casinos, airline tickets, and Elvis Presley impersonator.
MINNESOTA (Mankato), the Free Press, September 4, 2013
Woman charged with exploiting vulnerable adult
http://mankatofreepress.com/local/x312422042/Woman-charged-with-exploiting-vulnerable-adult
Mankato woman faces three felony counts of financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult, with the charges filed this week in Blue Earth County District Court. From January 2007 through January 2012 over $300,000 of cash was taken out of the 80-year-old man’s checking account, and during that same time no ATM activity occurred on the Mankato woman’s checking account.
MINNESOTA (St. Paul), MPR News, September 3, 2013
Stopping seniors from getting scammed out of billions
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2013/09/03/seniors-lose-billions-in-scams
Law enforcement agencies, advocacy groups and bankers in Minnesota are trying to educate seniors about how to detect and avoid scams that can cost them much or all of their savings. They also are training bankers and tellers to be on the look-out for scams targeting older customers.
MISSOURI (Independence), 41 Action News, September 3, 2013
Victim of elder abuse, 73, dies in hospital
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/independence/victim-of-elder-abuse-73-dies-in-hospital
73-year-old victim passed away in the hospital after being found by police in the recliner covered in feces, urine and maggots. The woman’s husband was charged in connection with the neglect of his elderly wife.
NORTH DAKOTA (Lakota), Grand Forks Herald, August 30, 2013
Grand Forks County not liable for guardian
http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/272031/
Veum, 77, a year ago sued the county over what he claimed was mishandling by Zavala and her assistant who acted as public administrators over Veum’s property and bank accounts for 90 days in 2011. The verdict, read out in court by state District Judge Richard Geiger, found Zavala did “breach a fiduciary duty owed to Paul Veum” but that the breach didn’t cause any damages to Veum.
OHIO (Howland), Trib Today, September 4, 2013
Judge allowed to hear probate case
The case was allowed to go forward Tuesday in front of the Ohio Supreme Court, including the previous decision by Probate Judge Thomas A. Swift to remove Setinsek as successor trustee for “serious breaches of trust” for his dad’s trust.
SOUTH CAROLINA (Columbia), 10 wistv, September 1, 2013
Sheriff: Woman stole more than $72K from “vulnerable adult”
http://www.wistv.com/story/23233013/sheriff-woman-stole-more-than-72k-from-vulnerable-adult
A Midlands woman is accused of stealing more than $72,000 from a 74-year-old female over a period of approximately 10 months. According to the sheriff, between March 2011 and January 2012, Chun served as the victim's Power of Attorney.
UTAH (St. George), the Spectrum, August 31, 2013
Exploiting the elderly
http://www.thespectrum.com/article/20130831/NEWS01/308310007/?nclick_check=1
Debbie Booth, the Utah Division of Aging and Adult Services, said elderly exploitation is going “rampant” in every part of the state. Starting on Jan. 1 this year, an average of 17.83 cases elder exploitation are reported to the APS office from Washington County and approximately 4 cases were reported in Iron County each month, states Karen Sevilla of Adult Protective Services in St. George.
INTERNATIONAL (United Kingdom), Express, September 3, 2013
‘Gold standard’ for elderly care
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/426473/Gold-standard-for-elderly-care
In the article, leading doctors have expressed that hospitals must strive to achieve a "gold standard" of care for vulnerable elderly patients so the Mid Staffordshire scandal is never repeated. The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) said hospital wards should be able to receive a quality mark for providing excellent care for older people.
INTERNATIONAL (United Kingdom), Mail Online, September 2, 2013
Kitemarks to ensure wards are safe for the elderly: Hospitals to be assessed to ensure they give older people good quality care
Senior doctors are drawing up a new system which will see wards judged on their treatment of older patients. It follows widespread concern that the elderly are frequently neglected by staff in hospital with food and drink left out of reach, and also hurriedly made to move in the middle of the night because someone else needs the slot.
ABUSE OF ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES
SOUTH DAKOTA (Sioux Falls), ctpost, August 28, 2013
Former SD nursing home worker on trial for abuse
A former employee at a Dell Rapids nursing home is on trial for allegedly assaulting a patient last November, facing up to two years in prison if convicted.
SOUTH DAKOTA (Sioux Falls), Rapid City Journal, August 30, 2013
Trial for South Dakota nursing home worker ends in hung jury
After deliberating six hours, the Sioux Falls jury was deadlocked and could not decide if a former Dell Rapids nursing home worker was guilty of abusing a woman.
VERMONT, Burlington Free Press, September 3, 2013
Settlement of Vermont adult protection case turns adversaries into collaborators
The article states that after sparring in and out of court for nearly two years, the Shumlin administration and two advocacy groups for vulnerable adults announced a settlement last week that not only resolves their legal dispute but calls for a remarkable level of oversight of the work of adult protective services.
RELATED ISSUES
NATIONAL, Miami Herald, September 2, 2013 (Opinion)
Bad policy decisions hurt our seniors
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/09/02/3596763/bad-policy-decisions-hurt-our.html
Congress and the White House will soon engage over budgetary issues and the national debt, and author Max B. Rothman believes that decision makers should understand the current state of knowledge about older people and how budgets will affect them.
CALIFORNIA (Long Beach), Press-Telegram, September 2, 2013
Elderly with dementia making up more missing person cases
Since Jan. 1, the Long Beach Police Department has handled more than 200 critically missing person cases, and officials say the vast majority of those calls involve elderly residents.
CALIFORNIA (Sacramento), SDGLN, September 4, 2013
California legislature passes bill to ensure LGBT seniors receive respectful, competent elder care
Assembly Bill 663, which will help ensure that LGBT seniors get respectful and competent elder care by integrating LGBT cultural competency instruction into the training received by residential care facility administrators, passed the Senate today with bipartisan support by a vote of 26-11.
FLORIDA (Daytona Beach), the Daytona Beach news-journal, August 30, 2013
UCP suspends job-placement program for disabled workers
A local nonprofit agency that serves disabled Volusia-Flagler area residents has temporarily shut down its job-placement program and laid off seven workers, because of recent cuts by the state in Medicaid services to the developmentally disabled.
FLORIDA, A Gannett Company, September 3, 2013
Veterans’ benefits helpers under scrutiny
http://www.pnj.com/article/20130903/NEWS01/130903011/Veterans-benefits-helpers-under-scrutiny
The number of private attorneys and financial advisors who are accredited by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to help former armed forces members and their families file for certain federal benefits is increasing. The article states that the VA’s accreditation program is approving some individuals without performing adequate background checks, or ensuring they have the knowledge to competently assist people with claims.
ILLINOIS (Cook County), CBS Chicago, September 3, 2013
Cook County opens new elder justice center
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2013/09/03/cook-county-opens-new-elder-justice-center/
Senior citizens in Cook County who need help navigating the court system, or fighting fraud and abuse, now have a place to turn for information.
KANSAS(Osawatomie), Kansas Health Institute, September 3, 2013
Consultant’s report calls for overhaul of state hospital’s approach to caring for mentally ill patients
http://www.khi.org/news/2013/sep/03/report-calls-major-overhaul-state-hospitals-approa/
Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services Secretary Shawn Sullivan said he is planning a major overhaul in the way Osawatomie State Hospital cares for its mentally ill patients. Much of the change, Sullivan said, would focus on getting the hospital’s professional staff to spend more time interacting with patients and less time in meetings.
MICHIGAN (Van Buren County), mlive, September 2, 2013
Woman with dementia drowns in Van Buren County lake after wandering away from son’s home
http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2013/09/woman_with_dementia_drowns_in.html
A 76-year-old Illinois woman with dementia who wandered away from her son’s home overnight Sunday in Van Buren County was found drowned in Van Auken Lake, authorities said.
VIRGINIA, the Legal Examiner, September 3, 2013 (Opinion)
Nursing home report card reveals alarming problems nationwide
The nursing home patient advocacy group, Families for Better Care, recently released its 2013 Nursing Home Report Card. The author focuses on Nevada and Virginia nursing homes saying Virginia received an overall grade of “D”, with the state ranking 33rd in terms of overall care provided to nursing home residents.
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Funding Opportunities:
- November 1, 2013
- The Lawrence Foundation awards grants in support of the environment, education, human services, disaster relief, and other causes. The foundation awards both program and operating grants with no geographic restrictions to nonprofit organizations that qualify for tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, as well as public schools and libraries.
- For more information: http://www.thelawrencefoundation.org/grants/guidelines.php
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Upcoming Elder Abuse Conferences/Training Events (in chronological order):
· The 18th International Conference & Summit on Violence, Abuse & Trauma will be held in San Diego, California on September 8-11, 2013. For more information: http://www.ivatcenters.org/
. The National Center for Victims of Crime’s National Conference will be held September 9-11, in Phoenix, Arizona, and will feature more than 130 leading experts and 72 skill-building workshops. Register at https://www.signup4.net/Public/ap.aspx?EID=20131952E. Sessions of special interest for those working with elder victims include the plenary "Pathways to Recovery: Helping Victims of Financial Fraud." Learn more and sign up today at www.signup4.net/Public/ap.aspx?EID=20131952E.
Workshops include:
· An Aging Network Response to Victims of Abuse and Neglect
· Financial Exploitation of People Later in Life
· Interstate Abduction Investigations
· Abuse in Later Life
· Expanding your Program Beyond the Traditional SANE Program: Elder Mistreatment, Child Mistreatment, Domestic Violence, and More
· Model Standards for Serving Victims and Survivors of Crime: New Standards on Privacy, Confidentiality, & Data Security
· Healing for Change: Your Wellness Plan and Secondary Trauma Prevention
· The 3rd Annual Sexuality, Intimacy & Aging Conference will be called “Helping to Navigate Challenges in Sexuality & Aging” and will be hosted at Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania September 27-28, 2013. For more information: http://saconsortium.eventbrite.com/
· The 33rd Annual Mental Health & Aging Conference, “Innovative Perspectives on Mental Health & Aging,” will be held on October 8, 2013 at The Double Tree in Sacramento, California. For more information: www.sacmhac.net.
· The 24th Annual NAPSA Conference to be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota October 2-3, 2013, followed by The 4th Annual NAPSA Summit on Elder Financial Exploitation on October 4, 2013. For more information: http://www.napsa-now.org/get-connected/annual-conference/
· The 20th Annual New York State Adult Abuse Training Institute will be held on October 9-10, 2013 at the Albany Marriott Hotel in Albany, New York. For more information: http://brookdale.org/aati-2013/aati-2013/ To register for the 2013 Adult Abuse Training Institute: Go to brookdale.org, click on the NYS Adult Abuse Training Institute link and download the registration form. Please fax the completed form to (212) 396-7852; or email the completed form to afaustin@hunter.cuny.edu.
· The 37th Annual Consume Voice Conference will be held in Arlington, Virginia October 24-27, 2013. For additional information: http://www.theconsumervoice.org/events/annual-meetings
. The 21st Annual New Mexico Adult Abuse Conference will be held on October 24 and 25, 2013 in Albuquerque, NM . This year’s theme is “A Cornucopia of Learning, Knowledge and Services”. For information, contact Agapito J. Silva at Agapito.silva@state.nm.us or 505-841-4550.
· The 30th Annual Adult Protective Services Conference will be held in San Antonio, Texas from November 19-22, 2013. For more information: https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Adult_Protection/Adult_Protective_Services_Conference/
· The 2nd Annual National Elder Abuse Symposium, hosted by the California District Attorneys Association, will be held at the Hyatt Regency Orange County in Anaheim, California on December 3-6, 2013. Register here: http://www.cdaa.org/training/seminar-conference-registration?regevent_action=register&event_id=154
· The 3rd World Congress on Adult Guardianship will be convened on May 28-30, 2014 in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area. It is sponsored by the National Guardianship Network in affiliation with the International Guardianship Network. The theme of the conference is, “Promising Practices to Ensure Excellence in Guardianship Around the World.” Proposals for presentations are due July 31. See http://worldcongressguardianship.org
An archived collection of previous newsfeeds is available here:
http://ncea.posthaven.comNational Center on Elder Abuse
Center of Excellence on Elder Abuse & Neglect
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Program in Geriatrics
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