Camano Island resident Amy Lecoq is in Olympia today because her grandmother was scammed out of more than $200,000 over a three-year period. She says her grandmother was exploited by someone who called herself a friend.
"She lost a lot, you know," she said. "She didn't just lose money, but she stole her confidence in herself, she stole parts of her health, she stole her time, she stole her ability to believe she could make good decisions. She didn't just steal her money."
Nearly one in 20 older Americans are financially mistreated by a caregiver, friend, family member or someone else with access to their finances, according to the Department of Justice. Washington state is one of 13 states that still does not have a criminal statute for the financial exploitation of vulnerable adults.
The woman who exploited Lecoq's grandmother eventually was convicted of nine counts of felony theft, although she has appealed the decision. Lecoq's grandmother has received only one restitution check for $11.
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Senior Issues/Petition Urges Lawmakers to Protect Older Adults From Financial Exploitation
It's my understanding Washington State has stalled every guardianship reform bill for a long time. Perhaps this is some of the problem.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate all who worked hard to get signatures. At the same time, our lawmakers should know (even if only by reading articles) that elder abuse is a serious issue and they need to be active in making new laws to protect their citizens.
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