According to the National Center on Elder Abuse Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2010 there were over 500,000 elder abuse cases in the U.S. alone. Understanding the issues related to elder abuse has become even more important as the elderly population of the country continues to grow. Join Legalocity host Jacqueline Crosby, Esq. and legal advocate Danielle Jesserer to learn about the warning signs of elder abuse as well as prevention and reporting advice. Jacqueline Crosby is a New Jersey attorney writer and educator who conducts legal education seminars and webinars for the public in the areas of employment and family law.
Danielle Jesserer attended Appalachian State University majoring in Pre-law and English. Shortly after working for an attorney in North Carolina she began working as an elder abuse advocate where she realized that elder abuse is rampant. Danielle now works with the Senior Veterans Council (Raleigh, N.C.), the National ADA Advocates (main office, N.Y.), and in her free time volunteers with NASGA (National Association to Stop Guardianship Abuse), local Senior Centers, and other families that contact her for assistance. Her goal is to help raise awareness, find justice for victims, educate the public, and fight to change legislation in order to better protect people from this type of abuse.
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What do you do if it is the court appointed guardian who is doing the abusing?? We spent three years trying to free an elderly man from this, and finally got him free. Family members and friends could do nothing until the local media got involved.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you're out there being a voice for those who have been victimized by elder abuse, Danielle.
ReplyDeleteYou've hit the nail on the head, Anonymous. The court-appointed guardian is often the abuser and when that happens, it's almost impossible to defend against because the judge is already on the guardian's side.
ReplyDeleteThere is hope: NJ has started a volunteer guardian monitoring program that not only looks at current files, but will be going back and looking for patterns. This is a great first step.
Our challenge is to educate the public that guardianship must be a matter of last resort, following the intent when guardianship was created. If we keep people out of guardianship who don't need to be there, that's a big plus. And we have to keep working for monitoring, oversight, enforcement and penalties - that's our mantra!
Thank you for all you do, Danielle.
ReplyDeleteWell done, Ms. Jesserer.
ReplyDeleteThe more advocates we have out there spreading the word, the sooner this hell is going to end.
ReplyDeleteThank you Danielle for doing your part.
You have a lot of energy and drive, Danielle, and we are glad to have you on the side of awareness against elder abuse!
ReplyDeleteThere was feedback when the host spoke, but I could hear your message loud and clear, Danielle, and you delivered it well.
ReplyDeleteVery information discussion.
ReplyDeleteGood and informative interview!
ReplyDeleteThank you Danielle! Protecting the elderly from abuse is a monumental task and we need everyone spreading the word that elder abuse will not be tolerated.
ReplyDeleteHi to All,
ReplyDeleteI would like to HELP with this awareness program..
I have done a lot on my own and have pushed many many buttons on elderly abuse.. I would love to work with anyone from Raleigh NC .. My father was is dead because of this abuse.. I have pic. and everything one would need but together we can make a HUGE DIfference.... contact me please....
Danielle -
ReplyDeleteGo to the NASGA website "Join" page:
http://www.stopguardianabuse.org/becomeanadvocateforreform.htm
There's a big battle to fight and we need all the help we can get.
Someone will contact you.