Best Friends of 78 Years Move into the Same Care Home, "I missed her."

Olive Woodward and Kathleen Saville, both 89, met when they were 11 and bonded instantly over their similar sense of humor.

Now, the friends of more than 78 years are making mischief in a care home.

“We don’t cause any trouble … but we sometimes have to knock the staff into shape,” Saville told British news agency SWNS. “I just raced one of the managers down the hallway for a laugh.”

Saville has resided at Berry Hill Park in Mansfield, England, since 2018, while Woodward moved into the facility last month. The lifelong pals, who are both widows, have rooms on the same floor, which means they are rarely apart.

“When Kathleen moved into the home, I missed her and I used to go and see her every Saturday for lunch,” Woodward explained. “Then I thought, ‘Why don’t I move in too?’ If I’m unhappy or in trouble, I only have to go to Kathleen and we’ll always end up laughing.”

Saville noted that she and her partner in crime enjoy getting dolled up together.

“I’m so glad Olive is here now, we’re like giggling school girls and we still put on our lippy and get dressed up,” Saville gushed. “We always say to each other, ‘If you’ve got it, flaunt it.”

Full Article and Source:
Best Friends of 78 Years Move into the Same Care Home, "I missed her."

A Great Idea: Nightclubs for the Elderly to Fight Loneliness

Knitting, owning fifteen cats, reading the newspaper on a rocking chair, staying indoors — these are just some of the many things associated with being old. But for the Posh Club, the word “old” doesn’t even exist.

The group started with siblings Simon Casson and Annie Bowden, who wanted to do something for their mother who constantly felt lonely. They organized a tea party and invited some of their mother’s friends who were also in their 80s to 90s.

Seeing the positive effect of this gathering to their mother, Simon and Annie decided to take it to the next level — they hired and decorated the local church hall and opened the invitation to all senior citizens in their neighborhood.

The community continually grew, and now the Posh Club established five major clubs all over London and the South East.

Full Article and Source:
This Nightclub for the Elderly is Fighting Loneliness With Tea Party Disco

Tonight on Marti Oakley's TS Radio Network: TS Radio Network: Whistleblower’s! Fleeing guardianship…Escaped Human Property?

5:00 pm PST…6:00 pm MST…7:00 pm CST…8:00 pm EST

Join us this evening as former Minnesota resident Joanne Bougalis, tells of her mother's capture by a professional guardian and the subsequent deterioration in her mothers', Katherine Bougalis, health and psychological conditions that resulted from being unnecessarily institutionalized, by the guardian, and forcibly drugged with Ativan and Seroquel. After several attempts to free her mother from the guardianship which were of course rejected by the probate civil tribunal (which appears to be the protection arm of this dirty business), Joanne and her mother fled the country and are living safely and happily in Greece. Katherine's assets which were sizable are steadily being accessed by profiteers even as she is denied any access to those same assets. While still living in Minnesota a hearing for Katherine was scheduled. She was also made unavailable for her own hearing by the guardian after a doctor's appointment was scheduled conveniently for the same time as the hearing.

The guardian has been made aware in writing three years in a row where his ward is located. He continues to fraudulently report her missing and her whereabouts unknown in his annual reports. He ignores requests to step down claiming his position is supported by the Judge. He was notified both by Katherine's son and by Social Security of her whereabouts. He took specific steps to delay her social security, and took no steps to provide living and medical expenses for his ward, although it appears from reports the guardian is still paying (someone’s) medical expenses.

Having been stripped of all her rights, via the designation of "ward" of the state and suffering a "civil death", could Katherine now be viewed as escaped human property? Apparently so! As her owner of record continues to bill her estate each year.

LISTEN to the show LIVE or listen to the archive later

Students Living in Nursing Homes - a Solution to our Ageing Populations?

An innovative retirement home in The Netherlands has opened its doors to students who live on site and help elderly residents in return for free lodgings while they carry out their studies.



In today’s society both young and old increasingly find themselves living in a bubble of like-minded and similar-aged peers. This is especially true of university students who leave home at 18 to live with people of the same age – who have quite often had similar life experiences.

Given this, the report that a Dutch nursing home has established a programme providing free rent to university students in exchange for 30 hours a month of their time “acting as neighbours” with their aged residents is unusual.

The programme has seen students in their early twenties sharing lives with residents in their eighties and nineties. As part of their volunteer agreement, the students also spend time teaching residents new skills – like how to email, use social media, Skype, and even graffiti art.

Source:

Students Living in Nursing Homes - a Solution to our Ageing Populations?

Guardianship abuse is not just a problem in the US; it's global

Norwegian Minister of Justice, Tor Mikkel Wara (Progress Party), wants a review of existing guardianships to find out if Norwegians are provided guardians against their wishes.

On Wednesday VG revealed that over 9,000 Norwegians provided with a guardian since 2014, has been registered as «not able to consent», in other words; that the person is considered not to understand what a guardianship entails. Probably only a few of these have been conversed with.

– This is so serious that we need to conduct a comprehensive review of existing guardianships. We must discover if someone has been provided with a guardian against their will, the Minister of Justice tells VG.

On Wednesday he proposed a legislative amendment that would make it harder to place anyone under guardianship without consent – but would not promise that there would be a complete review of existing guardianships, which may have been inaugurated on the wrong basis.

Full Article and Source:
Wara Asks for Review of Guardianships

Dementia Patients Recover Memories at Care Home Painted Like High Street - What a Great Idea!

Dementia patients are able to recover memories they have lost because their care home has been painted to look like a high street from the 1940s and 50s. The hallways in the De Baliol Care Home in Newbiggin by the Sea, Northumberland, have been transformed to look much like the area that many of its residents grew up in. Staff hope the recognisable features of old-fashioned shop fronts and sea views through ‘windows’ could trigger memories for the residents with dementia.

Administrator Sylvia Richardson said: ‘We wanted to create and atmosphere that would stimulate memories of the local area of yesterday and today. ‘We involved all the residents and the staff – but almost all the work has been done by Chris Brosnan, our maintenance man, with the murals for doors and walls done by Premier Graphics, from Blyth.

‘The fantastic photos were taken by Robert Miller, from Stakeford, and enlarged to create a local scene.’

Mr Brosnan said he was ‘let loose’ to paint the hallways. ‘The idea, for people with dementia, is to bring memories back, to create a street which looks the way things did when they were younger,’ he explained. ‘We included the views of the beach because a lot of people will have spent time there, so it’s about trying to jog some happy memories.’

But it’s not just the happy memories that will benefit residents – the paintings are also said to have a calming and ‘homely’ effect. ‘I’ve been working here for about four years, and it doesn’t feel like a nursing home, it feels like a family,’ said care home manager Judith Brown.

Full Article and Source:
Dementia Patients Recover Memories at Care Home Painted Like High Street

UK: Judge Rules Doctors Can Starve Disabled Patients to Death Without a Court Order

A judge has ruled that Court permission will not be needed to remove food and fluids from severely brain damaged patients, a move which has caused concern among opponents of euthanasia.

Legal safeguard
Unlike other forms of medical care, the decision to withdraw food and fluids from patients in a “permanent vegetative state” (the term “unresponsive wakefulness syndrome” is now generally preferred) has until now been referred to the Court of Protection, even if doctors and relatives are in agreement.

Landmark ruling
Now, the decision by Mr Justice Jackson means those cases will no longer have to come to court. He made his ruling in a case concerning a 50-year-old woman who suffered from a degenerative illness for 14 years. The patient, known in court as M, had Huntington’s disease and was bed-ridden in hospital and fed by a tube. The Court heard that she had shown no sign of awareness for 18 months.

Mr Justice Jackson agreed with her family and doctors that withdrawing nutrition from her would be in her best interests. The tube was removed and she died in August. Mr Justice Jackson said in his view the case should not have come to court.

Passive euthanasia
The ruling was welcomed by pro-euthanasia group Dignity in Dying. Chief Executive Sarah Wootton said the ruling was “a helpful step towards a clearer, more person-centred view of end-of-life care”.

“When all parties – family, the hospital and treating doctors – are agreed on what someone would have wanted for their care, it seems absurd to require a costly court process to confirm this.”

Dangerous precedent
However, the news has been greeted with great concern by patients rights groups. Dr Peter Saunders of the Care Not Killing Alliance said: “This court decision sets a dangerous precedent and should be appealed. Taking these decisions away from the court of protection removes an important layer of legislative scrutiny and accountability and effectively weakens the law.

“It will now be more likely that severely brain damaged patients will be starved or dehydrated to death in their supposed best interests and that these decisions will be more influenced by those who have ideological or financial vested interests in this course of action.”

The official solicitor, appointed by the state to act for such patients, is likely to appeal against the ruling.

Recently, a British doctor wrote on his findings that many patients in a “vegetative” state, are in fact aware and can be communicated with.

LifeNews Note: Courtesy of SPUC. The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children is a leading pro-life organization in the United Kingdom.

Full Article & Source:
Judge Rules Doctors Can Starve Disabled Patients to Death Without a Court Order

Golden Oldies (Elderly Poverty Documentary)

Affectionate insight into being old today. Source: Golden Oldies

Dementia: The Unspooling Mind

In a special one-hour presentation, 16x9 takes you inside the world of dementia on three continents. In the Netherlands, a village inhabited entirely by dementia patients. Then, a husband's emotional decision to leave his wife to be cared for in Thailand. And  in Canada, Global National's very own Dawna Friesen opens up about her family and its battle with dementia. For more info, please go to www.global16x9.com.



Source:
Dementia, The Unspooling Mind

Editorial: There is no such thing as neutrality with assisted suicide

The assisted suicide lobby is once again pressuring medical association's to become neutral on assisted suicide.

Last Monday, the American Medical Association (AMA) reacted to pressure from the Oregon Medical Association, to change the AMA stance on assisted suicide to neutral (Resolution 015) by establishing a Study on aid in dying.

Tomorrow, the British Medical Association (BMA) will vote on two motions.

The first motion (79 on the agenda): affirms that: ‘it is not appropriate at this time to debate whether or not to change existing BMA policy’.

If the first motion is not passed they will debate a second motion (80) which states: ‘that this meeting believes that the BMA should adopt a neutral stance on assisted dying’.

Physicians need to recognize that neutrality on euthanasia or assisted suicide does not exist. Either you support physicians lethally injecting patients (euthanasia) or writing prescriptions for lethal drugs (assisted suicide) or you don't.

Full Article and Source:
There is No Such Thing as Neutrality With Assisted Suicide

Author highlights personal story on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

WEDNESDAY (June 15) is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day and an author who is aiming to highlight the problem is selling copies of her book which tells of a lengthy family feud.

Adrienne Nairn, who now lives in New Zealand will be selling copies of her book My Brother My Enemy at WH Smiths in Exeter tomorrow (Thursday).

The book details a protracted legal dispute involving Adrienne and her brother over the care of her stepmother.

She explains: "I was motivated to write a book to highlight what can happen and if it helps warn others of the dangers that is great."

Mrs Nairn moved to New Zealand in 2002 and published the book with the aid of a ghost writer three years ago. 

Elder abuse can take a variety of different forms, not just physical, but also emotional and financial and Mrs Nairn says it is more widespread than many people realise.

Government recognition is also increasing with ministers using the global day of awareness to call on people to commit to understanding signs that an older person could be vulnerable to abuse.

The Minister of State for Community and Social Care, Alistair Burt, said: "Every older person deserves to live out their life in health and security. Yet, every year, thousands of older people are denied that most basic right because of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, focuses attention to this global public health issue.

"Victims of elder abuse are parents and grandparents, neighbours and friends. Elder abuse cuts across race, gender, culture, and circumstance, and whether physical, emotional, or financial, it takes an unacceptable toll on individuals and families across our country.

"Seniors who experience abuse or neglect face a heightened risk of health complications and premature death, while financial exploitation can rob men and women of the security they have built over a lifetime. Tragically, many older people suffer in silence, burdened by fear, shame, or impairments that prevent them from speaking out about abuse.

"We owe it to older people to expose elder abuse wherever we find it and take action to bring it to an end. Together, all of us can play a role in addressing this crisis. Today, let us speak out against elder abuse.

Full Article & Source:

Author highlights personal story on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

Ban Calls For End To Elder Abuse As Pathway For Global Goals

New York, NY– Marking World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today emphasized that ending neglect, abuse and violence against older people is crucial as the international community continues to work together towards achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and fulfil their underlying pledge to leave no one behind.

An old woman at her window in a Nepalese village. UN
Photo/John Isaac. 

    
“Abuse and violence directed at older people take many forms, including partner and stranger violence, psychological and emotional abuse and financial exploitation,” Mr. Ban said in his message to mark the Day.

“On this Day, I call upon Member States and civil society to strengthen their resolve and redouble their efforts to eliminate all forms of violence and abuse against older people,” he added, highlighting that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development aims to end poverty and build a more sustainable world for all.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day – observed annually on 15 June since it was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 2011 – aims to spotlight the global social issues affecting elderly people. The commemoration also brings the attention of the international community on the safeguarding of older human beings from mistreatment and suffering.

Elder abuse can be defined as “a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person.” Such abuse can take various forms, including physical, psychological or emotional, sexual and financial abuse, and can also be the result of intentional or unintentional neglect.

Noting that older women suffer from age and gender discrimination and are more vulnerable than men, Mr. Ban pointed out that World Health Organization (WHO) estimates show that up to 10 per cent of older people may be affected in some countries.

“Abuse of older women often follows a lifetime of discrimination, violence and oppression. I am particularly alarmed by growing reports of older women who are accused of witchcraft, making them targets of abuse from their own families and communities,” Mr. Ban said.

Along those lines, the UN Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, Rosa Kornfeld-Matte, warned that insufficient action is being taken to stop elder abuse around the world, and called on anyone who suspects such a case to immediately report it.

“One in ten older persons experience abuse every month. So, tomorrow it may well be you,” Ms. Kornfeld-Matte said in a statement released by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

The Independent Expert noted that elder abuse occurs anywhere in institutional settings, but often also at home, and it affects older persons across all socio-economic groups. Manifestations include physical violence, sexual or emotional abuse, abandonment, and neglect, as well as financial or material exploitation.

“One of the reasons for lack of action is that most people would rather not think of themselves as frail and dependent and, therefore, do not feel concerned. For others, it may be inconceivable that those who are closest to them today – their beloved ones – may be the perpetrators of tomorrow,” she said.

“Those concerned – the older persons who are physically restrained, left in soiled clothes,

overmedicated or emotionally neglected – may not speak up for fear of reprisals or to protect relatives from criminal prosecution,” she added.

Ms. Kornfeld-Matte emphasized that most cases of elder abuse go undetected and prevalence rates are likely to be underestimated. It is therefore essential to continue to raise awareness to help prevent some abuse cases and to ensure that those that take place are immediately reported, she said.

Warning signs can include unexplained bruises, lack of medical care, malnutrition or dehydration, unexplained changes of alertness and sudden changes in finances and accounts.

“On World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, I urge everyone who suspects a case of elder abuse: report your concerns,” the Independent Expert said.

Full Article & Source:
Ban Calls For End To Elder Abuse As Pathway For Global Goals

Quebec couple must pay $1.2 million in damages to estate of 97-year-old man they exploited

In 2003, Albany Duhaime, 87, was distraught over the death of his wife of 34 years while they were on a trip to France. Alain Satgé and Liliane De Vries, Duhaime’s longtime friends, offered to help with his finances.

By the time police stepped in seven years later, Duhaime’s assets had been wiped out. Worth more than $1 million in 2004, they were valued at less than $5,000 by 2009.

Duhaime was 97 and suffering from Alzheimer’s disease when he died in 2013.

On Monday, in the biggest judgment of its kind ever handed down, the Quebec Human Rights Tribunal ordered the Trois-Rivières couple to pay $1.2 million in damages to Duhaime’s estate.

“Their actions are all the more reprehensible when you consider that they orchestrated the stripping of the assets of a friend who believed them to be sincere,” Judge Yvan Nolet wrote in his ruling.

The ruling came three months after Satgé, 79, and De Vries, 71, were sentenced to three and four years in prison, respectively, for defrauding Duhaime.

The case was brought before the Tribunal by the Quebec Human Rights Commission, which took on the case after several people contacted it about Duhaime’s finances in 2010.

The couple was accused of contravening Article 48 of Quebec’s Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. It states that “every aged person and every handicapped person” has a right to “the protection and security that must be provided to him by his family or the persons acting in their stead.”

Duhaime’s world began to crumble when his wife died in France in 2003. He was inconsolable because, suffering from a broken hip in a different hospital, he was unable to be by her side when she died and could not attend her funeral.

Depressed and alone, he was crying constantly and was helpless without his wife, who had managed the household and the couple’s budget, the Tribunal was told.

Satgé and De Vries were “well aware of Duhaime’s vulnerability and his sudden dependence on them” and of “the blind trust he had in them because he perceived them as true friends,” the Tribunal judgment notes.

Duhaime and his wife had helped Satgé and De Vries immigrate to Canada from France in 1998.

Beginning in 2003, De Vries opened new bank accounts for Duhaime, obtained a bank card and had access to his safety deposit box. Duhaime at one point gave the couple carte blanche to deal with his affairs after they “fuelled his anger and fear” toward his family and his wife’s son, who was disinherited in favour of the couple, the Tribunal heard.

Duhaime ceded his Trois-Rivières home to the couple, continuing to live in it but paying for maintenance and repairs. The couple took his $18,000 car and used $79,000 to buy a truck for their son. Some cash was used to pay for the couple’s vacations and renovations to their home, and to finance their resort, Scoobyraid in Lamarche, near Lac St-Jean.

Over a few months, hundreds of thousands of dollars belonging to Duhaime was withdrawn in cash from a Caisse populaire and a Bank of Montreal branch.

“It’s somewhat surprising that financial institutions allowed a mandate holder to withdraw amounts this big, in cash, at counters,” Judge Nolet noted. “It’s even more surprising when the account holder is elderly. How were such withdrawals allowed without at least questioning whether the person was being exploited?”

In 2010, Duhaime complained to family members that someone was stealing his money. He later told Trois-Rivières police that he had never given the couple permission to take his money.

With the investigation underway in 2010, police discovered the couple had purchased one-way tickets to France for themselves and Duhaime. That’s when the couple was arrested.

The Tribunal dismissed the couple’s assertion that they had all the proper paperwork for the money transfers and that Duhaime gave them gifts because he wanted to thank them, “pamper” them, and help them “enjoy life.”

In 2010, a doctor concluded that Duhaime had been suffering from Alzheimer’s for five or six years, meaning his mental abilities were deteriorating when many of the transactions in question took place, the Tribunal was told.

The Quebec Human Rights Commission defines exploitation as “the act of taking advantage of a person’s vulnerability or dependency to deprive them of their rights.” Anyone who thinks they are a victim of exploitation or suspect an elderly or disabled person is a victim can seek help from the Commission.

Full Article & Source:
Quebec couple must pay $1.2 million in damages to estate of 97-year-old man they exploited

Remember the Dementia Village in the Netherlands? It’s Spreading.

Activities such as listening to music, talking about the past, gardening and even housekeeping are extremely beneficial to people with Alzheimer's disease. In fact, a growing number of individuals with dementia are participating in nontraditional therapies such as art, storytelling and aromatherapy to improve their quality of life and overall well being. Several dementia care facilities around the world are taking this a step further by creating therapeutic environments that encourage residents to interact and participate in life.

The Dementia Village Concept

This new trend in Alzheimer's care centers is based on reminiscence therapy, which is an alternative treatment option that uses sensory cues to stimulate long-term memory and encourage communication. A facility that adopts this model transforms its traditional nursing home environment into an interactive place from the past. Residents explore indoor and outdoor spaces that replicate scenes from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, including garages with cars, vintage kitchens, barbershops and restaurants. This concept debuted in the Netherlands in 2009, and it is finally starting to spread worldwide.

Memory Lane in England

Grove Care in Bristol, England, created Memory Lane in 2012 to provide its residents with “an attractive and interesting destination.” It also serves as an immersive reminiscent therapy environment for people with dementia. The street is lined with store fronts, including a post office, supermarket and neighborhood pub, and is designed to resemble a typical British town in the 1950s. Vintage advertisements and memorabilia decorate the rooms, inside and out, to stimulate memories and encourage conversation.

Reminiscent Care in Canada

Georgian Bay Retirement Home in Ontario, Canada, added a similar therapeutic environment with rooms that are reminiscent of the 1950s and 1960s. Some residents hold life-like babies in the nursery, while others talk and socialize in the kitchen or at the barbershop. The facility also has a garage with a 1947 Dodge, areas for hobbies such as sewing and gardening, and an artificial beach. It offers 38,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space and a variety of programs for people with dementia and Alzheimer's disease, including music therapy, storytelling and multi-sensory therapy.

The Easton Home in Kansas

The Easton Home is part of the dementia care wing at Cedar Lake Village retirement community in Olathe, Kansas. The facility redecorated a multipurpose room and a former employee break room to create space for reminiscing. A 1968 pickup truck sits in the courtyard, inviting residents to sit, relax and talk or listen to music. Inside, furnishings, music and decorations from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s give residents and their guests something to talk about. The facility also has “memory walls” with sensory cues relating to traveling, hobbies, parenting and similar topics to help residents reminisce. A similar facility exists in Scotland, and another is proposed for Florida. Thus far, however, none hold a candle to the four-acre dementia village in the Netherlands that started the trend. Read more about Hogewey, a living community for people with dementia and their caretakers.

Full Article & Source:
Remember the Dementia Village in the Netherlands? It’s Spreading.

Care workers jailed after patient dies in home

Lily Campbell

Two care workers have been jailed after lying to police about the death of a pensioner with dementia. 89 year old Lily Campbell was left dying at the Laburnum Court care home in Salford after she developed severe intestinal problems last October.

Manchester Crown Court has heard that Abdul Khan, who is 22 and of Roland Road, Bolton, and 53 year old Pratima Munjal from Montana Square, Openshaw, failed to check on Mrs Campbell through the night. When they eventually discovered that she had died they altered records to show that they had visited her and they also changed the bedding and washed her before calling the emergency services to report her death.

Paramedics became suspicious when they discovered evidence of rigor mortis suggesting that Mrs Campbell had been dead for hours, despite Munjal's claims that she had been breathing when she checked her less than an hour before. Munjal continued to lie when interviewed by police, and a post mortem examination showed that the pensioner had been dead for hours.

Munjal has now been jailed for 10 months for her part in the deception, and Khan imprisoned for six months.

Mrs Campbell's son and daughter, Clinton and Linda Credit: MEN

 The last year has been horrific. It has devastated the entire family and only now can we have any closure. My mum was an inspirational, strong woman. For her to have died in agony in her care home bed with no one checking on her is terrible. We are angry, she didn’t deserve that. But we are happy to see both Khan and Munjal behind bars, and for the judge to say that he wanted to make an example of them. Hopefully now we can find some peace.

– Linda Campbell, Lily Campbell's daughter

Our thoughts and sympathies go out to Mrs. Campbell’s family for their loss. We deeply regret the distress that was caused to Mrs. Campbell in her final hours and to the family. Following Mrs Campbell’s death the home manager and our regional management team cooperated with the police and Salford Council’s Adult Safeguarding Team in an investigation into her care records and a call that was made to the emergency services. These investigations led to a nurse and care assistant being charged in relation to attempting to pervert the course of justice. The overwhelming majority of nursing and care staff do a difficult job extraordinarily well, day after day to make life better for the people living in care homes. It is deeply disappointing and upsetting whenever we come across the exceptions who let down their colleagues and the people in their care. What these people did was not just against all their professional training and the company policies and procedures to support the well-being of residents, it was a criminal act.

– Spokesperson for Four Seasons the company which runs Laburnum Court care home in Salford

Full Article & Source:
Care workers jailed after patient dies in home

How the Elderly are Regarded in Different Parts of the World

How the elderly are regarded varies in different parts of the world. Here are seven very cool things about how the elderly are seen and treated in other countries:

1. Japan has a national holiday called Respect For The Aged Day.
The third Monday of every September in Japan is a national holiday designated to honor and show appreciation for the elderly. It's a paid holiday from work and traditionally, gifts are given to grandparents after sharing a festive meal with them.

2. Honoring your mother and father is now the law in China and elsewhere.
Elderly parents in China can sue their grown children for both financial and emotional support. Filial piety is the law in China, India, France and the Ukraine. In Singapore, adult children who do not give their parents an allowance can face up to six months in jail.  And in China, it's not just financial support; more than 1,000 parents have sued because their adult children don't visit them regularly.

3. In Scotland, they actually listen to the elderly.
Scotland's "Reshaping Care for Older People" program sets out with this vision:  "Older people are valued as an asset, their voices are heard and they are supported to enjoy full and positive lives in their own home or in a homely setting."

4. Who are you calling "old?"
"Old man" isn't a slur in Greece; in fact, it is quite the opposite.

5. "Respect your elders" has real meaning in Vietnamese society.
Elders are considered the carriers of tradition, knowledge, and wisdom in Vietnam and in Vietnamese communities in the dispora. Elderly grandparents and parents live with the family for support and care.

6. Turning 60 is a big deal in Korea.
Because 60 years is considered a full cycle in the Asian Zodiac, a large birthday celebration is held for those who reach this milestone birthday. Traditionally, it is also the age when a man can retire and let his sons support him.

7. A nursing home for elderly pets.
When pet-owners age and reach the point that they can no longer care for their beloved pets, what happens to those animals? The re-homing rate is low for senior dogs and cats turned into animal shelters.  In Japan, a nursing home for older pets has opened to meet the needs of the aging population.

Source:
Seven Very Cool Things Other Countries do for the Elderly

One-third of British people born in 2015 'will develop dementia'

One in three people born this year will develop dementia, according to new figures.

The Alzheimer’s Research UK charity warned of a “looming national health crisis” as the population ages.

It called for greater efforts across the globe to help develop new treatments.

Dementia affects 850,000 people in the UK, resulting in the loss of brain cells. The most common type is Alzheimer’s disease.

Early symptoms include problems with memory and thinking. As the disease progresses, people can experience difficulty with walking, balance and swallowing.

Alzheimer’s Research UK said age was the biggest risk factor for developing dementia.

As people live longer than ever before, the numbers with dementia will rise. The latest analysis, commissioned by the charity and carried out by the Office of Health Economics, was released to mark World Alzheimer’s Day.

It showed 27% of boys born in 2015 will develop the condition in their lifetime, alongside 37% of girls. Previous research from the same team has estimated that the development of a drug that could delay the onset of dementia by five years would cut the number of cases by a third.

Dr Matthew Norton, head of policy at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “It’s wonderful news that each generation is living longer than the last, but it’s important to ensure that people can enjoy these extra years in good health.

“Dementia is our greatest medical challenge and, if we are to beat it, we must invest in research to find new treatments and preventions.

“Research has the power to transform lives, and our actions now will help determine the future for children born today.”

Amanda Franks, from Swindon, a champion of Alzheimer’s Research UK, whose mother Cathy was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s six years ago, said: “My mum was only 58 when she was diagnosed. Up until then, we had no idea this devastating disease could affect someone so young.

“Simple day-to-day tasks like making a cup of tea, getting dressed and eating soon became a huge challenge for mum.

“As a mum myself, I would dearly love to see preventions and new treatments found to defeat Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, giving hope to people now and future generations.”

George McNamara, head of policy at Alzheimer’s Society said: “Dementia is already the biggest health challenge this country faces. It costs the UK in excess of £26bn, which equates to £30,000 a person with dementia – more than the cost of either cancer or heart disease. Today’s stark finding should galvanise the government, and us all, into action.”

“We urgently need long-term, sustainable research funding that is proportionate to the economic and social impact of the condition. Alzheimer’s Society has pledged to put at least £100m into research into the disease over the next decade, McNamara added.

“The quicker we see better investment, the sooner we will get the answers we need to develop treatments, ways of preventing dementia and ultimately a cure.”

Full Article & Source:
One-third of British people born in 2015 'will develop dementia'

New five-year plan to tackle elder abuse in Northwest Territories

A new five-year plan to reduce and eradicate abuse of seniors in the Northwest Territories is set to be published.

The NWT Network, an organization working to prevent elder abuse in the territory’s communities, presented a draft of its strategy earlier this week.

The document lists 20 actions to be taken by 2020, including a call for more training and support for communities; the creation of plain-language information for elders on the help available; training for front-line government and police staff; and a centralized elder abuse database.

“Since we’ve started working on this problem, we’ve had more and more examples coming out of the woodwork. Some of them are not very pretty,” said Leon Peterson, president of the NWT Seniors’ Society, which worked with the NWT Network on the strategy.

Research published by the NWT Network in February identified financial abuse – stealing money or pension cheques, or similar – and neglect as the two most common issues facing seniors. Of more than 600 seniors surveyed, one in four said they had personally been abused.

Background: NWT Network’s February elder abuse study (pdf)

“A lot of people put up with the abuse and say nothing about it,” Peterson told Moose FM. “There are many different examples – they [family members] want cigarettes, they want money, they keep badgering.

“Maybe they’re going to stop bringing the grandkids round to see you. There are many kinds of abuse.

“Elders don’t want to report it, they don’t want to get their families in trouble. It doesn’t work that way.”

This week’s strategy, reviewed in draft form at the annual meeting of the NWT Seniors’ Society in Fort Smith, recommends a focus on four areas: public engagement, education and training, community responses, and policy and legislation.

As a key priority, the NWT Network wants to train more people in communities to be aware of elder abuse and means of tackling it.

“One of the big things is education, and being able to identify it and do something about it,” said Peterson.

“Getting people in the communities where it’s happening working on it, solving the problem. And it’s not an easy problem to solve.”

It’s not clear where the funding will come from to achieve some of the strategy’s objectives regarding more training and community support, but Peterson said the territorial government has a “good working relationship” with the society.

The NWT Network hopes its strategy will build community capacity to deal with abuse of seniors, strengthen policy to protect vulnerable adults and ensure more elders live in safe and secure homes.

Full Article & Source:
New five-year plan to tackle elder abuse in Northwest Territories

Rana Goodman: Into The Devil's Arms She Went

Rana Goodman,
The Vegas Voice and
NASGA Nevada

I have been writing for months now about using extreme caution to make sure that you don’t fall into the clutches of a private-for-profit guardian.

This story however is greatly different. This story is about a lady and her daughter who fell into the clutches of a couple who befriended them.

This story I’m about pass along to you has all the elements of a movie script in the making, except that, I’m sad to report, it is painfully true. For Yvonne Frank, the remaining family member living a world away in Switzerland, the loss of her mother and sister at the hands of a couple who they trusted is as fresh today as it was a few years ago. And still, she has no answers, no charges have been filed and as far as we know, there is no open investigation.

Here is the story in Yvonne’s words:

Margaret Brown

My mother, Margaret Brown, immigrated to the United States and took her US citizenship in 1964 and lived in Las Vegas along with my younger sister Mona. Mona lived close to our mother, who had some dementia issues as she aged, but lived a comfortable life with her long time significant other, Stanley. Mona, who was a full time finance manager at UNLV had taken care of our mother’s finances since 2003 so that part of daily life was removed and our mother could enjoy her day to day life.

There came a time in 2006 when mother’s dementia worsened and a decision was made amongst the three of them for Stanly to sell his home and for him and mother to move in with my Mona. At that time Mona still had her great job at UNLV which she had held for many years. Sadly, the tide began to turn when suddenly in 2007 Stanly suddenly passed away. He had not forgotten Mona’s kindness or help, and left her about $125,000 as thanks for the care she had given him and mother over the years.

I learned, sometime in October, 2008 that mother and Mona had gone to the law offices of Jeffery Burr Ltd. And saw one of the attorneys there. (keep in mind that my mother already had dementia and was incognizant at the time, the result of a stroke years before). At this meeting my mother modified her trust that had been created in 1993 naming Mona as the primary trustee. Mona and myself as trust beneficiaries. The trust was to pass from mother to Mona and then to me.

Mona Brown

Mona then, for some reason, signed naming a friend of hers, Jeanette Ann Hill a secondary durable power of attorney over our mother and trust management with mother in the event that Mona died before mother. Taking into consideration our mother’s mental state and the fact that there was another living child, it is hard to understand any attorney making this recommendation. Mona’s friend Jeanette was also named co-trustee to Mona whose estate was worth more than $500,000 at that time.

Just eight weeks later, on December 3, 2008 Mona died very suddenly and without any known cause in her home. I was notified that “there was some kind of kidney problem” but was never shown proof or an autopsy report of any kind I immediately called my mother to find out what had happened. I went to Las Vegas for Mona’s funeral and afterward asked my mother to return to Switzerland and live with me. However at that time she preferred to stay in the US.

In January I again asked my mother to go to Switzerland and live with me since at that time Jeanette was discussing placing her in an assisted living home. However, when Mona’s home was sold and my mother received 60% of the estate, suddenly Jeanette announced that she and her husband were buying a larger home and my mother would live with them and remain in Las Vegas.

It was after visiting with my mother in May of 2009, and then returning home to Switzerland that I began to do some research. I discovered that the home Jeanette and her husband purchased had actually been bought by my mother. I could not fathom why no one would question an 83 year old woman deemed incognizant, yet purchasing a home for $249,990. The home, located on Pacific Opal Street was listed on the assessors list clear as day? I found that very odd and what mortgage company would not find it fishy, then I discovered that my mother had paid for the house in full. . Shortly afterward, Jeanette changed mother’s trust with the help of an attorney named John Mugan, bequeathed the house to herself and on 12/9/09 the house on Pacific Opal was “resold” to Jeanette and Robert Hill.

Not one to sit idly by, I tried many things to get help for my mother who was clearly distressed over the situation. For example, my son placed a call to the American Embassy who suggested that we try to get guardianship of mother. Well that could not be done, not only were we not residents of the state, we were not US citizens. By the time my mother passed away in 2011 an estate of close to one million dollars was decimated and no one could or would lift a finger to stop it.

We filed police reports to no avail,it seemed like the detectives had no interest even though two people had died on Jeanette Hill watch under odd circumstances and now this real estate scam. Jeanette Hill had tax warrants, unpaid liens, and still the police say they can do nothing “because she was my mother’s guardian”.

In closing I would like to quote Yvonne Frank when she wrote “My mother, sister and I had a very close relationship. The Hills have brought much sadness into my life, through their constant lying, deceit and fraud and my inability to help my mother when she was clearly in distress. I believe the court system and the Jeffery Burr law firm assisted Jeanette Hill in the fleecing of my mother. I hope the investigation into guardianship abuses in Clark County will one day bring these people to justice."

~Yvonne Frank

Source:
Into the Devil's Arms She Went

Under-fire Banstead care home left injured 101-year-old to wait for two days to see doctor

Jessie Keys, pictured left last March, and right last week in Epsom Hospital

A 101-year-old woman who suffered a serious head wound after falling out of bed at a failing nursing home was not taken to hospital, or seen by a doctor, for two days.

Jessie Keys, from Carshalton, who has been a resident at Firtree House Nursing Home, in Banstead, for three-and-a-half years, is in Epsom Hospital while a safeguarding investigation is conducted by social services and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) into why it took so long for her to be admitted.

In an inspection in November, the health and social care watchdog the CQC rated the home "inadequate overall", although the owner insists improvements had been made.

From March: Owner of Banstead care home rated "inadequate" confident it will not be closed down
 
Her great niece Kim Clements, 47, also from Carshalton, said Miss Keys was found by Firtree’s staff on the morning of May 18, after falling out of her bed.

She said: "She fell out of bed on Monday.

"They phoned my mother to say she had a scratch on her head but not to worry as she was fine.

"She had a big gash in her head. It was absolutely awful.

"Firtree phoned for an ambulance on Wednesday.

"Her head must have been pouring with blood every day."

Miss Clements said, days earlier, she had been shocked to discover that Miss Keys did not have a pressure mat placed next to her bed, just a "normal rubber mat" drenched in urine.

A pressure mat would alert staff if Miss Keys tried to get out of bed unaided, but Miss Clements was told it was "broken" and would be replaced.

Miss Clements said Firtree’s matron - who was not working at the time of the incident - told her Miss Keys was found on the floor at 6.15am, having been helped to go to the toilet at 6am.

She said: "The matron said they phoned an out-of-hours doctor who said she would not be coming out, but could visit on Wednesday.

"I thought they would have phoned an ambulance straightaway.

"On Wednesday morning the doctor came and said Jessie needed to go to hospital.

"The matron said they should have got help earlier, that it was left too long.

"She said the nurse [involved] had been severely reprimanded."

Miss Clements said her great aunt has experienced no other major problems during her time at Firtree and the home has "always kept her safe", but added: "It’s just lately. The staffing is terrible.

"We are worried about her going back."

When Salim Jiwa, the owner of Firtree, was contacted for an explanation he insisted the newspaper should call the nursing home and speak to the matron, who he named only as Denise.

When questioned, he would not say whether, 10 days after the incident, he had personal knowledge of what had happened, given that he is the owner of the nursing home.

He later phoned back to say: "An investigation is ongoing and there is no other comment at the moment."

The care home's website lists Maria Varnava as manager and head nurse, and Mary Jones as deputy manager and staff nurse. There is no mention of anybody called Denise.

In October, Firtree was placed under police investigation after another Firtree resident, Frank West, 86, was admitted to Epsom Hospital, having fallen out of bed and sustaining a head injury.

He died in hospital 11 days later.

From October: Under-fire care home in Banstead being investigated by police after death of resident
 
Although Mr West died of natural causes, he had pneumonia when admitted and police told his daughter, Trudy Hampton, that there was a high level of opiates in his blood - of which there was no record at the home.

Speaking to this newspaper this week, Ms Hampton, said the police investigation into the matter had concluded but they "didn’t say there was any criminal activity or not" because police had needed a blood sample from Mr West, whose care at Firtree was funded by Surrey County Council (SCC).

Ms Hampton added: "The CQC didn’t give me their report [into the matter] as they said it’s not their policy.

"Social services didn’t share anything either due to data protection.

"There are still big questions over this.

"I think there’s a bit of a cover-up from the CQC point of view."

She added: "Firtree has had all these chances for a number of years to correct the inefficiencies and it has not corrected them.

"I wouldn’t put anyone there."

Of the 23 residents at the home, 13 are funded by SCC and four by Sutton Council.

An SCC spokesman pointed this newspaper to Sutton Council, but said: "We have asked the home to complete an internal investigation in the next 28 days just to make sure nothing happens again."

A Sutton Council spokesman said SCC was the relevant authority: "Safeguarding investigations are led by the local authority where the incident occurs, which in this case is SCC.

"SCC’s investigation into the care of Mrs Keys is ongoing and we are awaiting the outcome of its investigation."

He added: "Sutton Council and SCC have been working together with Firtree since its CQC inspection in November 2014 to raise the standard of care there."

A follow-up inspection to the one in November was conducted in March this year, but the findings have not yet been published by the CQC.

From October: 'Care Quality Commission complicit in wrongdoing of nursing homes', says angry relative
 
Asked about the incident involving Miss Keys, a CQC spokesman said: "We are aware of it.

"There is ongoing safeguarding work going on between ourselves, the local authorities and stakeholders and we cannot comment at this time."

He said the most recent inspection report for Firtree had been sent to Mr Jiwa and there is "no reason why it shouldn’t be published this month".



"THERE HAVE BEEN NOTABLE IMPROVEMENTS"
 
Tom Hurst, 61, from Epsom, is a relative of a resident who has been at Firtree for four years.

He said the nursing home has made significant process recently and criticised the our recent coverage of the problems there as "unnecessarily sensationalist".

"I would say there have been notable improvements," Mr Hurst said.

"The new matron, Denise, has been there three months now. She is very much on top of things.

"There have been several monthly residents’ meetings. At the last one there was not one single complaint.

"They have done a pretty good job over the four years. Overall, the family’s happy."

He said Firtree is not the only care home in the area not providing a link to it most recently published report on its website and that "Firtree didn’t deserve to be singled out" by the newspaper for this.

Last month: Care home slammed by watchdog still not showing damning inspection report on its website
 
Mr Hurst said his main frustration is the delay in the CQC inspecting homes and then publishing its reports.

He said: "I am dumbfounded that the CQC inspected Firtree in March of this year and here we are in June and there is no sign of the report."

Full Article & Source:
Under-fire Banstead care home left injured 101-year-old to wait for two days to see doctor