Thursday, April 29, 2010

Hearing Set for Queener Case

A court battle continues over who is the best person to make decisions about 79-year-old Bob Queener's medical care, housing and day-to-day needs.

The dispute is primarily between Department of Human Services staff and Queener's relatives, who are upset that DHS recommended a judge give all authority over the Des Moines man's life to people who don't know him. Queener began showing signs of dementia last summer.

An article in The Des Moines Register recounted how DHS staff removed Queener from his home and a court-appointed conservator began to sell all his household goods, vehicles and mortgage-free home.

At a hearing Monday, an attorney for DHS said Queener's court-appointed temporary guardian, D. Thomas Smith, no longer wishes to be considered for the role of permanent guardian.

[Assistant Polk County Attorney] Ford said DHS is now looking for another suitable family member - other than Queener's niece, Cheri Jensen, who was his main caretaker until DHS intervened in December.

A hearing on who should be permanent guardian has been tentatively scheduled for June 1 or 2.

Full Article and Source:
Hearing on DM Man's Guardian is Set

5 comments:

lou said...

Perhaps Cheri Jensen isn't best suited as guardian, we don't know the situtation but, certainly there is a family member better suited than the appointment od a perfet stranger who knows nothing about this man!!
Appoint a family member.

Anonymous said...

F.A.M.I.L.Y.

Max said...

Let Mr. Queener pick. It's his life and livlihood.

In fact, let him pick someone to do this for him with a power of attorney instead of a guardianship.

Jes said...

Court appointed "professionals" are strangers, inded, Lou. You're absolutely right.

Anonymous said...

This sounds familiar. I took care of my mother for five years, with DHS tromping into the house every month so they could get government funding for providing "care." Caseworkers had no problem with me until they got their chance to nab my mother. Then I wasn't fit to be guardian.