Guardianship system lacks independent oversight

Editor: The recent Spotlight PA article, “Whistleblower: Shapiro admin retaliated over elder abuse system claims” (Sept. 1), should alarm every Pennsylvanian. If state employees are punished for raising concerns about elder abuse, what chance do ordinary families have when the system fails?

Cases like this are often driven by individuals motivated by greed. Despite testimony showing that some elders are not incapacitated, rulings like these strip away rights and destroy lives, all under the false pretense of “protection.”

I know this firsthand. Since 2021, in Luzerne County, I have tried to sound the alarm. I raised concerns about troubling financial decisions and violations of privacy. I contacted the Department of Aging, multiple county officials, state representatives, and oversight agencies. I repeatedly reached out to the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. Every time, I was met with silence, ignorance or empty promises. If I cannot get anyone to listen, how can the elderly possibly fight for themselves?

The whistleblower retaliation case shows this is not isolated. Across Pennsylvania, families are discovering that once a guardianship enters the courts, elders lose their voices. Oversight is minimal, accountability is nonexistent, and families are left powerless. Elders deserve protection. Instead, they are silenced, and so are those who fight for them.

Pennsylvania lawmakers must act now. We need independent oversight of guardianship cases. We need transparency in how decisions are made. And most of all, we need to ensure families raising legitimate concerns are heard, not ignored or treated like they’re the criminal.

Every day this system remains unchecked, more elders will suffer. Guardianship is meant to protect. In Luzerne County, it has done the opposite.