My Grandmother did all the things older people are advised to do to protect themselves, and yet when she suffered a massive stroke and became defenseless, none of it counted. She gave my Mother her Power of Attorney and added her on her checking and charge accounts. Her will was fair and equal to both her children. This gave her peace of mind that no matter what happened, she'd be all right.But she wasn’t. After the stroke left her totally debilitated, unable to speak, and defenseless, her son began a campaign against my Mother and Grandmother in pursuit of his inheritance. My Grandmother didn’t know to protect herself from her own son; she didn't think she had to. She was wrong. My Mother's attorney advised a guardianship would best protect my Grandmother. Not knowing better, my Mother took his advice.
Then the court appointed Old National Bank as guardian of the estate and they literally “charged” right in, immediately reversing every financial decision and all the careful planning my Grandmother made prior to her stroke.
They charged exorbitant fees for sloppy, amateur, and fraudulent work. They even changed and probated my Grandmother’s will while she was alive. Every unnecessary and outrageous bit of it was rubber stamped by the judge. We fought like hell and depleted our life savings in legal fees, but still there was nothing my Mother or I could do to protect her from Old National Bank, the lawyers, and the judge.
Abusive Guardianships of the ElderlyMay 2009 ~ Guardianship abuse victims recognized during Elder Abuse Prevention Month
I thought I heard it all - until you said your Grandmother's will was probated before she died.
ReplyDeleteNormally, I would say "Unbeliavable!" But I can't - knowing what the Barfia is capable of.
They're image is as low as what the whales drop in the ocean!
When will the Great Age of Greed end? Or what must we do to end it?
This case is an example of the family feud opening the door to the real abuser: guardianship.
ReplyDeleteAgain, judges ignore a person's advance directives and known wishes in favor of their buddies.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how much Old National Bank contributed to this judge's electrion campaign?
It's prety bad when you do everything they say to do to protect yourself and they get you anyway.
ReplyDeleteAnd the family can't protect you.
Sad statement about society.
We are all rendered powerless.
ReplyDeleteThis account of another guardianship victim is very disturbing to read.
ReplyDeleteIt shows the absolute failure of the system, the racket, to proceed in the best interest of the ward.
People turned into products, wards, to generate income for the loop of crooks in the probate racket.
This is all wrong, it is not how the system was intended to work in the best interest of the ward.
This racket with court approval of corrupt judges on the take, is being manipulated, taken advantage of, used for personal enrichment.
How mamy more victims are needed to show this racket is not working?
How many more victims are needed to show this racket needs to be seriously reformed or better yet, torn apart and start over learning from the mistakes?
For those who believe guardianship is working as intended decades ago, in the best interest of the ward, I ask you to volunteer yourself, right here and now to become a ward.
Volunteers?
There is a special place in Hell!
ReplyDeleteThat's a good idea anon. Any volunteers to be a ward of the state? If so, please come forward.
ReplyDeleteMaybe NASGA could have a link where people could sign themselves up to become a ward if they believe this system is working in the best interest of the ward. What better way to prove one's position on whether the system works, then volunteer yourself, or if it is flop a rip-off a failure, then no volunteers?
Ideas?
Another lamb led to the slaughter by an attorney who should have stood up for the PoA insted of inviting a guardianship.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, we don't know this is wrong until it's too late.
The logo for AGE is very appropriate. These stories make me want to cry.
ReplyDeleteOnce the guardian is in place, the guardian can do anything and the court turns the other way.
ReplyDeleteThis case has all the elements NASGA is fighting against.
It's so tragic how people who have done their best to protect themselves are not protected at all.
ReplyDeleteCourts should have an obligation to seek out Powers of Attorney prior to guardianship.
The court is every bit as guilty here as the lawyers.
What is amazing is that the general public does not recognize the risk. People wish to believe that "they have taken care of things". NOT!
ReplyDeleteI don't believe anything can prevent this abuse when predators step in................
This must change!
Those who profit want the racket, the well oiled probate machine, to keep working in their favor, pumping out all those greens in their direction.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: why oh why would they want to give up all that money?
Answer: they don't and the way it is, they won't
I don't see anyone come forward to volunteer themselves to become a ward of the state.
ReplyDeleteWhat does that tell you?
The silence tells me: Those who support and believe the guardianship racket is working fine, are full of it; they are..........LYING!
Volunteers to become a ward? Great idea, let's start a list. I don't see any volunteers anywhere on this site yet - wonder why?
ReplyDeleteMy mother's story is similar. I spent tons of money on attorneys' fees to help her but I accomplished nothing.
ReplyDelete