The District's Adult Protective Services failed to protect her parents and still fails to protect vulnerable seniors, Carolyn Nicholas, president of Advocates for Elder Justice, testified.
In February, Council member Marion Barry, D-Ward 8, introduced a bill in memory of his old friend and political ally. The Charles and Hilda Mason Elder Abuse Clarification and Expansion Act of 2013 clarifies the definition of elder abuse and increases the penalties for preying on vulnerable seniors.
Guardians or conservators are only supposed to be appointed for people who do not have other plans in place when they become physically or mentally incapacitated. But D.C. Superior Court judges have overridden seniors' wishes, assigning "representatives" to people who have already designated a family member, friend or attorney to handle their affairs when they became frail or incapacitated.
Court-appointed guardians and conservators have total control over their wards' persons and property, but some are completely unsupervised, with no requirement to submit to outside audits or even file periodic accountings with the court for how they spent assets it took a lifetime to accumulate.
With such absolute power and little or no oversight by the courts or the city, abuse is inevitable. "Many court-appointed attorneys, guardians and/or conservators have in fact become nothing more than predators," Nicholas told The Examiner.
Barry's bill, which has been co-sponsored by Council members Anita Bonds, D-at large, Yvette Alexander, D-Ward 7, and Jim Graham, D-Ward 1, would make financial abuse of the elderly a felony punishable by a $10,000 fine and up to 15 years in prison, and allow elderly victims to sue for restitution. It would also prevent those convicted of exploiting seniors by "deception, intimidation, misrepresentation, fraud or undue influence" from inheriting their victims' estates.
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D.C. Council Still Stalling on Elder Abuse
It will continue, until they stop it, these corrupt individuals who live off people who cannot help themselves are very sick, they are doing it with the help of the courts. They are used to living the way they do, and in the custom they are used to living. They think they are entitled to huge fees. It will not stop until the Federal Government puts a stop to it!
ReplyDeleteIt's in all states.
ReplyDeleteNational shameful disgrace. Where there is motive for profit with no oversight except for the JUDGE, it's over the minute the petition is filed with the court even if the petition is based on LIES. We need to use the words that describe the fraud on the court and sometimes the court is working in concert with the Probate Gang. It's simple and clear how this system was turned into a get rich fast racket. Follow the $ and see who benefits and follow the campaign contributions and the votes. Special Interest groups and Lobbyists do not represent US we the people who fund this from our tax dollars. This worldwide and national racket must be dissolved NOW.
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