Friday, July 5, 2013
Woman wins award against group home in conservatorship case
A woman who was placed in a conservatorship without her knowledge has won a $23,050 award from a Sumner County court against a group home that put her to work caring for other residents while she was paying an $850 a month fee.
In a four-page ruling Circuit Court Judge C.L. Rogers ruled that Ginger Franklin of Hendersonville, who was recovering from head injuries, was the victim of “egregious and intentional abuse” while she was confined at a Nashville facility run by Salim Homes.
In the ruling, Rogers concluded that Franklin suffered “mental anguish of grief and worry” when she was forced to provide care for other disabled adults and perform cleaning duties for the owners of the group home.
Franklin was placed in a conservatorship on Aug. 25, 2008, after she fell at her Nashville condominium and suffered a brain injury. She was placed in a conservatorship by Davidson Probate Judge David “Randy” Kennedy and then county Public Guardian Jeanan Stuart was named as her conservator.
Stuart, who has since been removed from the post, placed Franklin at Salim Homes at 509 Phipps Drive in Nashville after she was released from an Illinois rehabilitation facility. Franklin eventually was released from the conservatorship in December of 2010.
In the ruling issued earlier this week, Rogers concluded that Franklin and other disabled residents of Salim Homes “were used to clean business properties and provide care for disabled adults” and also to clean the personal residences of the group home’s owners.
“Plaintiff had no success in contacting her conservator,” Rogers wrote, adding that Franklin “had reasonable fear and worry she could be put out for not cooperating, saying ‘No’ or objecting, she would have no place to go.”
Rogers wrote that it was the duty of Salim Homes “to provide care for these disabled adults. It was not to work a mentally dysfunctional, disabled adult and use them as free labor.”
As the ruling noted, Franklin was being charged $850 a month while at the group home.
Full Article and Source:
Woman wins award against group home in conservatorship case
Best news I've heard in a long time.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Ginger. We are all so proud and happy!
ReplyDeleteGood for you, Ginger. Bad for Salim Homes, but then again KARMA is bad for anyone who abuses the defenseless.
ReplyDeletecongrats Ginger !!!
ReplyDeletethis judgment should have another zero added to the end
FORCED LABOR IS SLAVERY.
ReplyDeleteWhere IS the State of Tennessee?
Do they inspect group homes?
If so, how often?
Is the state representative inquiring who is supervising the residents?
Are the residents and/or their conservators, POA agents etc. interviewed about the care and treatment?
"(Judge) Rogers concluded that Franklin and other disabled residents of Salim Homes “were used to clean business properties and provide care for disabled adults” and also to clean the personal residences of the group home’s owners."
In this case, the conservered 'resident' Ms. Franklin was supervising the group residents and the facility, the group home and all related tasks while paying a monthly fee to the Fraziers, who claim to be NOT FOR PROFIT business corporation.
"...In the ruling issued earlier this week, Rogers concluded that Franklin and other disabled residents of Salim Homes “were used to clean business properties and provide care for disabled adults” and also to clean the personal residences of the group home’s owners.
“Plaintiff had no success in contacting her conservator,” Rogers wrote, adding that Franklin “had reasonable fear and worry she could be put out for not cooperating, saying ‘No’ or objecting, she would have no place to go.”