Monday, May 19, 2008

Granny Snatching - Another Side

It's called "Granny Snatching" and elderly advocates say it happens often, where hospitals are named guardians of an elderly against the families wishes.

This video highlights the case of Mollie Orshansky who is a victim of granny snatching and who's niece, Jane Pollack, took her back:

Granny Snatching Case Probed

Pollack removed Orshansky from George Washington University Hospital without advance notice. At the time, hospital officials had gone to court to get control of Orshansky's affairs, recommending that the mentally incapacitated woman be placed in a nursing home.

Orshansky's amassed an estate worth $2 million. From roots in a poor neighborhood, she became a ranking official of the Johnson administration, where she created the concept of a poverty line.

Orshansky - who's helped so many in public service -- had planned that if she couldn't help herself, she wanted to be with relatives in New York, her family says.

A Washington judge ordered the senior citizen be brought back to the capital. However, a Court of Appeals issued a tough-talking order of its own that put the judge on the defense.

For months, Washington Judge Kaye K. Christian had ordered that she be brought back there. The judge appointed attorney, Harry Jordan -- who billed Orshansky $42,000 in fees. A Washington Court of Appeals decision finds "critical errors " in the case. In addition, a second court-appointed attorney, Tanya Castro, failed to even speak with Orshansky, and a valid health care proxy giving Orshansky's niece control was cancelled.
Source:
Elderly Woman's Wishes Finally Fulfilled After Court Battle

More here:

Written statement of Jane M. Pollack before the United States Special Committee on Aging

Written statement of Michael S. Kutzin (Attorney) before the United States Special Committee on Aging

According to the state of Colorado, “Granny Snatching” occurs when greedy guardians exploit elder or disabled family members by moving them to a state with laxer rules.

Source: Granny Snatchers Go Home

See also:
Granny Snatching

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hospitals? Acting as Guardians? Oh, of course, 2 million dollars might be the incentive to wage a battle in court for control of person and estate.

I have to wonder how many hospitals nationwide are involved in this racket.

Question: How many guardian cases, Wards of the State were and currently are related to George Washington University?

Questions: Of that number, how many cases, Wards of the State, were/are:

1) with significant assets and/or property?

2) low income, poverty level individuals who do not own property or have significant income or assets?

How much effort and how much money would any hospital or institution put forth fighting for guardianship of homeless, destitute individuals?