Cause: Protection for the infirm
“I’ve had two lives,” says Rudek.
“Before 2001 and after, when I had my eyes opened to guardianship.”
That’s the year a cousin was appointed temporary guardian to Rudek’s aunt and embezzled more than $78,000 before Rudek, who lived 100 miles away, discovered the abuse.
After a five-year battle, the cousin pled guilty to theft and was sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.
Rudek has been fighting against guardian abuse ever since. She joined the National Association to Stop Guardian Abuse in 2006, volunteering 40 hours a week, counseling others about the issue, referring people to lawyers, and pushing for reform. In May, the Illinois legislature unanimously passed an amendment that promises greater protection.
Says Rudek:
Do your power of attorney before your will. You could get in an accident, not recognize anyone, and the court could appoint anybody. There is no age limit on this.”Source:
Money Magazine: Money Heroes
24 comments:
Congratulations Sylvia! And thanks for the leadership you've provided all these years, even while caring for your aging parents.
Sylvia, you have always been my hero! Thank you for the encouragement you have always given me, and mostly for the countless hours and good deeds you have unselfishly given as service to the greatest segment of our population. You fit the title "hero" perfectly.
Fantastic and so well deserved!
$78,000!!!
If the cousin just had a law license, she could have called that money fees and stolen even more!!!!
Many thanks to Ms. Rudek. However, we should not have to point out that it should not be necessary for any private lay citizen to take these extraordinary measures to protect the elderly and disabled.
Lawyers and judges are well paid to do exactly that. They are not only failing at the task, but actually on the WRONG SIDE of these thefts and breaches of fiduciary duty with increasing, alarming frequency.
Ladies and gentlemen of the Bar and Bench, if you do not do your job, the public will take back ITS power and authority that IT entrusted to you.
Very fitting!
Very good points, Anonymous!
And congratulations, Sylvia. You do us all proud!
Good going, Sylvia. You have brought the eyes of Money Magazine to guardianship abuse and we are so proud of you.
Cannot thank you enough Sylvia for your dedication to this terrible abuse! My mother died in 2012, isolated away from her family the last 2 years of her life. They would not let her leave the facility the guardian put her in for anything. They treated her like an animal and denied her all her belongings. My mother's case is still open. We are waiting for a final accounting, but it still has not been given to the court. The court has done nothing to make them follow the laws that are in place. My mother Retta lived in Pinellas County Florida. Guardianship abuse is huge in Florida! Everyone needs to be educated about the abuse in the courts! of Florida
You are an inspiration for us all!
Elaine- I am in a hurry today but I am thrilled to see Money Magazine honor the hard work of Syliva Rudek and the other members of NASGA. I want to thank them for bringing attention to a huge problem most people have no idea exists. I really thought my Mother's wishes would be honored- especially since she had a "good" attorney draw up her papers. Please relay this message to Money Magazine and tell them also we are long time subscribers.
I am beaming with pride! Thank you, Money Magazine, you picked the right person!
Congratulations Sylvia! You have helped and continue to help and bring awareness to injustice of Guardianship Abuse.You and NASGA and Elaine have made a tremendous difference. Thank you very much! My Mother has limited visitation rights as though she had committed a crime. She is denied everything!!! Probate Court is denying people their Human Rights and allowing the guardians to do the same.
I agree with all the comments.
To the Editors of Money Magazine: Good selection from the Great State of Illinois.
I am so inspired as I commented on the other article you can count on me, count me in for the long haul seeing this warms my heart.
Thank you.
Congratulations Sylvia! "joecitizen", and so many others bring it to the point. What a tremendous achievement, giving the frail elderly, who should be able to live in dignity and peace, and be protected from the wrong being done to them... NASGA gives them a voice, that has been heard. "MONEY HERO"!!
I can´t thank you and Elaine enough for the tremendous support I have been given so far!
Sylvia is indeed a terrific choice. A phony guardian was appointed for my husband. This guardian, Sharon Mehrtens, wanted me to sign over all our money to her. Mehrtens said if I didn't do that, she would charge me $35 an hour to find my money. ( Bill's rest home was being paid for by insurance and we had enough money.) Bill told me not to sign and he died two days later from the heart strain caused by the guardian. Sylvia Rudek helped me.
I bet your aunt is looking down from heaven with so much pride, Sylvia.
Sylvia correctly refers to life in guardianship as totally different from life before guardianship, for not only those trapped in guardianship, but also those who care about the person trapped in guardianship. Taken prisoner.
I saw this on Facebook! Congratulations Sylvia and NASGA. This is national coverage and I'm just so happy for everyone.
My parents had every piece of LEGAL documents in place to stop the $750,000 theft from their estate and it did absolutely no good when evil sits on the bench. To tell anybody to get your legal documents in place is misleading. You might get lucky but don't bank on it.
http://eldermurderabuseandexploitation.blogspot.com/2014/02/1-elder-murder-abuse-and-exploitation.html
Until these people are charged for the crimes they commit all the new laws in the world won't change or prevent their heinous acts on us. We need ENFORCEMENT and who is going to do that?
I have always recognized that Sylvia is a hero!
It's not misleading, but there's more to be done: You have to know the law in your state; you have to watch what your lawyer is doing, and make sure he/she introduces those documents at the inception of a guardianship, and requests a due process hearing as to the capacity of the maker at the time of execution.
I was placed in a
conservatorship after a fall resulting in a head injury at age 48.I was lost. A friend told me about NASGA and I called their number. I got Sylvia on the phone and that changed everything for me!She gave me hope, informed me of the few rights I did have left. She talked to me every time I called for as long as I needed.I am out of the conservatorship now due in large part to Sylvia.Any organization should be so lucky to have Sylvia as a member of their staff!! I can never than you enough Sylvia.
I'm so proud of you Sylvia! It's an honor and great privilege to be your friend and a part of your winning team! There's no greater thing than saving lives and helping those who can't help themselves. God bless you for being so devoted to this very important mission, and thank you for you being there for all of us, Daniel
It's great to get this recognition, however, I am saddened by the report: having a Trust, Will, POA's, advanced directives, as they're called legally, will not, emphasis NOT, prevent the discrimination against the elderly and disabled. In fact, advanced directives are ignored when there is large amounts of money, such as in my mother's case, (Mary G. Sykes). My suggestion is that ya claim you have no money -- hide it! Hide or spend it all, and when it's found, if there's anything left after you pass, then let your adult kids, dear friends, or the lawyers fight over who gets what. If you own a home, get a reverse mortgage late in life, and take all that money too and use it on yourself -- but don't tell anybody you're doing that either. No one will want you when you look like you have nothing. All said, keep locked away any trusts or wills, POA's with someone you truly trust -- hopeful you have someone in your life you truly trust -- so should something happen to you, you are taken care of. My mother learned the hard way as do most elderly and disabled people. In sum if you have no money, or it looks as if you have no or little money, the Probate Court or courts that hold unconstitutional guardianship appointments, will treat you like a special person -- So, as great as the article was, the message was wrong. Advance directives do nothing to protect the elderly and disabled from discrimination, financial exploitation, et al. The more money you have the more likely someone will connect with a cottage industry attorney who will walk into a Court and say, "So and so is dementia and in need of a guardian". It's that easy.
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