Advocates seek government assistance in protecting loved ones

April 23, 2018
Kevin Tharpe

In Georgia and many other states, many families have suffered the devastating effects of elder abuse. Protecting loved ones isn’t always possible as immediate family members often don’t realize their elderly relatives are in danger until it’s too late and damage has already been done. That’s why a group of elder abuse advocates in another state have appealed to their senators to take action that may help keep elders in nursing homes, hospitals and other assisted care facilities a lot safer in the future.

The advocates recently met with senators to show them evidence of nearly 24,000 official complaints regarding elder abuse filed in their state in 2017. In fact,  the state’s own website apparently shows at least 1,800 complaints actually posted in recent years. The advocates say the officials who are supposed to investigate complaints and accusations filed have repeatedly dropped the ball and failed to fulfill their responsibilities.

The governor of Minnesota, where the recent meeting between advocates and senators took place, ordered the Department of Human Services to get involved and do what it can to help stop the elder abuse problem throughout the state. Many of the complaints include ghastly descriptions of physical and sexual abuse, even cases where elderly patients were found with maggots crawling through their open wounds. Those working to affect positive change say they hope that by providing the senators with an extensive list of specific abuse-related incidents alleged in their districts, they can enlist support to investigate each one and do whatever is necessary to prevent others from suffering similar abuse in the future.

Protecting loved ones is a high priority for many adult children in Georgia. No one wants to witness a parent’s or other elderly family member’s suffering, especially at the hands of care providers. Any caregiver whose negligence or willful misconduct results in another person’s injury and be held fully accountable, and a savvy  elder law attorney can help accomplish that goal.

Source: CBS Minnesota, “Elder Abuse Advocates Plead For Legislators To Act“, Mary McGuire, April 9, 2018

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Kevin Tharpe

With 25 years of experience, Kevin understands how estate planning, special needs planning, and government benefits programs work together. This is a crucial element of a thorough plan. He explains your eligibility for benefits programs and ensures that you do not make costly mistakes that may disqualify you or deplete your assets.

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