Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel vows to protect seniors

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel following her elder abuse listening tour 
stop at the Clinton Township offices of the Macomb Intermediate School District.

When Dawn Bartolomeo’s health began to suffer as she struggled to care for her 73-year-old mother who was also in declining health, she entrusted her care to a local private pay senior facility and it’s something she quickly came to regret.

In a matter of weeks Bartolomeo, of Washington Township, said she found her mother was being isolated, her cell phone was destroyed after she called her daughter to report neglect, her medications weren’t given and there were bedbugs everywhere.

“I am her advocate and I will tell you the squeaky wheel gets hurt not heard; if they speak or squeak, they get hurt,” Bartolomeo said. “The workers were recording that she got her medication but they were taking it themselves. I took her to Beaumont and they verified through a blood test that none of her medications were in her system.”

This was just one of hundreds of stories people shared during the Michigan Elder Abuse Task Force’s recent traveling listening tour which logged more than 2,600 miles across the state this summer.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel along with Supreme Court Justices Megan Cavanagh and Richard Bernstein, embarked on the 12-stop tour to better focus and guide the efforts of the Task Force on the issues and concerns that impact Michigan seniors.

“This listening tour was about providing a voice to those who don’t often have a chance to speak up and speak out,” Nessel said, in a recent press release.

In total, nearly 1,000 seniors and advocates attended at least one tour stop and more than 10,000 residents tuned in online via Facebook Live.

Macomb County stop well attended

The tour was at the MISD in Clinton Township on July 22 and the two-hour session had nearly two dozen people sharing their concerns with the panel.

Nessel began by telling the audience that the Task Force was formed to create real solutions to the challenges the elderly population faces and very soon there will be nearly two million people in Michigan over the age of 65.

“My office has the legal authority to intervene in any case in the state and we can petition the court for what we believe to be the right course of action,” Nessel said, noting that anyone with an issue is encouraged to contact her office with the case number and relevant information.

Guardianship was a recurring topic as people stepped to the microphone to share their stories regarding probate courts taking over and awarding guardianship, many times to non-family members.

Adult licensing foster care was another hot topic. One woman told the panel it seems there aren’t any real regulations for those and even if they are closed down due to a reported incident they just reopen somewhere else.

When asked if hoarding is considered a form of elder abuse Nessel said yes, anything that affects the health, welfare and well being of a senior constitutes concern.

A woman from Macomb Township wondered who should be contacted when elder abuse is suspected and Nessel said the local police department is the first place to go.

When Bartolomeo took the floor, she provided a strong voice for her mother and many others stating she’s part of the sandwich generation, those who are dealing with grandkids and elderly parents all at once.

“I’ve lived this, I’ve lived what I hear today and it’s very painful,” Bartolomeo said.

After reporting her mother’s abuse including the theft of her medication to the senior facility and asking to see the licenses for the nursing staff Bartolomeo said they simply released her mother from the center. Currently in a rehab facility after suffering a nervous breakdown, Bartolomeo said her mother will be moving back to her house until she can find a safe place for her.

At the conclusion of the session, Judge Bernstein said the task force is “truly going to do our best to make things better,” including addressing the guardianship issues.

When contacted following the listening tour stop Bartolomeo said sharing the truth in a public forum was something she needed to do because there are no regulations on many of the senior living facilities when it comes to medication distribution and care.

“They hire people off the streets without certification; they use an LPN license to register with the state of Michigan then allow anybody to use the license without being licensed,” Bartolomeo said. “It’s a joke.”

Attorney General’s office to take action

Following appearances across the state the officials involved seemed to be both enlightened and determined to begin addressing the issues of elder abuse in Michigan.

“I appreciate the courage of each and every person who spoke and shared their stories of pain and loss,” Bernstein said. “Your strength in speaking out is the inspiration for the next step— turning words into action.”

“I sincerely believe that when we are done with these initiatives, we will have made more progress in protecting our seniors than we have in the last 30 years,” Nessel added.

Dan Olsen, spokesman for the Attorney General, said the most challenging aspect of the tour was ensuring that everyone had an opportunity to speak. When time was short with the full panel the staff stayed after to speak with all those who wanted to provide additional comments and ask questions.

“We received a lot of valuable feedback from the communities we visited during our listening tours,” Olsen said.

The three top concerns shared by seniors and advocates alike included:

• Full-time and court-appointed guardianships

• Selling the personal property of a senior who has been declared a ward of the court

• Isolation from their families

“We fully intend to incorporate these concerns as we prepare to properly address the troubling issue of elder abuse here in the state,” Olsen said.

For more information on Michigan’s Elder Abuse Task Force, visit Michigan.gov/ElderAbuse. To reach the hotline call 800-242-2873.

Signs of elder abuse:

 

• Fear of caregivers
• Left without care for long periods of time
• Misuse of funds or property
• Unexplained bruises
• Verbal abuse (threats, ridicule or cursing)

Courtesy of Michigan's Elder Abuse Task Force

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Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel vows to protect seniors