As our society ages, so too does the prevalence of a disturbing trend: elder abuse.
Physical, sexual, financial, mental, and emotional abuse leaves countless seniors vulnerable and traumatized.
The elderly, roughed up in nursing homes, hit by caregivers, stolen from by strangers, and neglected by family.
“I had one woman tell me that she was keeping her mother in the
attic, and she didn't see that as wrong,” explained Virginia Ngai, Elder
Justice Advocate, The Center for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and
Neglect.
A study by the Administrations of Aging reports that
before the covid pandemic, one in 10 elderly adults in the U.S. suffered
abuse. Today that number has doubled to one in five.
Virginia Ngai is an elder justice advocate. She’s seeing an uptick in
self-neglect, where family members may not know their loved ones are in
desperate need of help or aren’t prepared to help.
“They may no,
no longer be able to go and shop for themselves or cook for themselves,
and they might not be able to fill their medication or take it,” said
Ngai.
In 60% of cases a family member is the abuser.
“When
their parent is acting in behaviors that they're not used to or they
don't feel as mature, then they may actually just lose it, lose their
cool,” explained Ngai.
Strategies that can help include creating a
caregiver support team, that provides relief to those caregiving, money
management programs are available for those vulnerable to financial
exploitation, and adult protective services can help find a safer place
for elderly abuse victims to stay. And if you are looking for a
caregiver, be sure to make sure they are licensed, insured and have
valid referrals.
Elder abuse is an even more widespread issue for vulnerable seniors with dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Research shows nearly half of older adults with cognitive impairment suffer from abuse.
These
conditions often impact memory, communication, and judgment, making it
difficult for elders to recognize and report abuse when it happens.
LANSING – Yesterday, Barbara Cavner, 66, of Lawton, was arraigned before Magistrate James Becker of the 7th
District Court in Paw Paw for embezzling approximately $50,000 from her
aunt, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Cavner is
charged with one count of Embezzlement from a Vulnerable Adult-$20,000
or more but less than $50,000, a felony punishable by up to 10 years’
incarceration and/or a fine of $15,000 or three times the value of the
money or property involved, whichever is greater.
In March 2021,
Cavner’s aunt was admitted to an assisted care facility in Lawton,
where she remained until August 2023 before transferring to another
facility in the same town with Cavner acting as her aunt’s
attorney-in-fact, or durable power of attorney. Between March 2021 and
October 2024, Cavner allegedly used large sums of her aunt’s money for
her own needs. It is alleged that Cavner withdrew cash, made
point-of-sale purchases, and wrote checks to herself.
“Too often, we see the assets of vulnerable adults unlawfully siphoned away when they move into a residential care setting,” said Nessel. “We will continue to hold people who take advantage of older adults accountable.”
Cavner is
scheduled to appear for a Probable Cause Conference on February 12,
2025, and a Preliminary Examination on February 18, 2025. She was
released on a personal recognizance bond.
The Attorney
General’s Health Care Fraud Division (HCFD) handled this case for the
Department. The HCFD is the federally certified Medicaid Fraud Control
Unit for Michigan, and it receives 75% of its funding from the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling
$5,703,460.00 for the fiscal year 2025. The remaining 25% percent,
totaling $1,901,152.00, is funded by the State of Michigan.
###
Please note:
For all criminal proceedings, a criminal charge is merely an
allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven
guilty. The Department does not provide booking photos.
MIAMI – A Miami man faces charges after prosecutors say
he exploited an elderly neighbor, draining her finances and taking
ownership of her condominium.
Miami-Dade
State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle announced Thursday the arrest
of 62-year-old Nilo Somoano, who faces one count each of theft from a
person 65 or older valued at more than $50,000, exploitation of the
elderly in an amount over $50,000, and an organized scheme to defraud
over $50,000. Each charge is a first-degree felony.
Authorities
said the victim, an 89-year-old woman who died on Oct. 16, 2021,
suffered from severe mental and physical impairments and had required
full-time care since at least 2015.
In
2016, Somoano obtained power of attorney over the woman under unclear
circumstances, giving him control over her finances, according to
investigators.
Detectives
said he allegedly used that authority to transfer ownership of her
condominium at the Half Moon Towers, located at 5055 NW 7th St., into
his name while she was still living there.
Somoano,
who has lived in multiple units at Half Moon Towers since 2006, also
used the victim’s financial accounts to buy another unit in the
building, according to authorities.
Prosecutors
say Somoano drained the victim’s $600,000 estate on personal expenses,
including sending nearly $14,000 to his wife to pay for cremation
services for his brother and godmother, as well as purchases from
Costco, Home Depot, and various clothing and specialty stores.
Authorities said none of the services or items benefited the victim, who spent her final days in an adult living facility.
The cries for Wendy Williams' freedom from her conservatorship have forced her legal guardian to reevaluate her mental state.
The
former TV host has repeatedly denied being "cognitively impaired"
despite her court-appointed conservator's claims of frontotemporal
dementia. Now, her guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, hopes to defend her stance with a new medical evaluation.
Wendy
Williams was placed under conservatorship in 2022 but raised concerns
about her well-being in 2024 following isolation and mistreatment claims
from loved ones. Earlier this year, she denied being unable to make
rational decisions while comparing her guardianship experience to a
hostage situation.
Wendy Williams To Undergo A Mental Examination Per Her Conservator's Request
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Williams'
legal guardian, Morrissey, recently informed the judge overseeing the
entertainer's case about her plan to permit another medical examination.
She expressed willingness to be transparent about Williams' well-being
and mental state, noting:
"[It]
would be prudent for [Wendy] to undergo a new medical evaluation that
will involve comprehensive neurological and psychological testing by a
specialist in the field."
Although
Morrissey agreed to a medical reevaluation, she implied the result
would be no different than the original diagnosis that landed Williams
under her care. On that note, she implored the court to pause her
lawsuit against A&E over the Lifetime docuseries, "Where Is Wendy
Williams?" which aired last year.
The conservator's letter obtained by TMZ continued: "The Guardian has no interest in pursuing litigation in the extremely unlikely event that the new medical examination finds that [Wendy] somehow now has the mental capacity to direct the A&E matter."
Fans Slam The Former TV Host's Legal Guardian
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In her letter to
the court, Williams' guardian stressed that doctors at Weill Cornell
Medical Center made the entertainer's initial dementia diagnosis. She
implied there was no foul play at work, noting Justice Sokoloff legally ruled that Williams was "incapacitated."
However,
Morrissey's arguments sent off alarm bells as multiple fans called her
out on X. These Williams supporters did not believe the legal guardian
had the media personality's best interests at heart, with someone declaring, "This whole ordeal is a scam! These CRIMINALS should be in prison! #FreeWendy!"
Another echoed
similar sentiments, stressing the need for a neutral third party. "It
should be by an unbiased doctor. Not a doctor of the guardian's choice,"
the X user wrote. A third argued that Williams needed the lawyers that saved Britney Spears from her conservatorship, adding:
"It's absolutely sick that Wendy was blocked from seeing her own father on his birthday. He's in his 90s and logically won't be around for much longer."
Rapper Meek Mill Sheds Light On Williams' Isolation Claims
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One
of the reasons Williams' guardian decided to allow a medical
reevaluation might stem from the growing "#FreeWendy" pleas or the
former radio broadcaster's insistent dementia denial.
The Blast shared that Robert Rihmeek Williams, professionally known as Meek Mill, joined the voices against her conservatorship.
The
renowned rapper, who lived in the same building with Williams in 2023,
recently shared a picture that seemingly depicted her isolation claims.
In the image, Williams appeared isolated in the building's lobby while
sitting alone on a bench. Mill described her demeanor as being in a
"daze."
The "All Eyes on You" hitmaker was moved
to share his experience about Williams' conservatorship following a
viral teaser clip for the upcoming documentary, "Saving Wendy."
In the video, Williams lamented the possibility of missing her father's 94th birthday because of her legal guardian.
A New York Lawmaker Hopes To Change The Broadcast Veteran's Guardianship Law
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While fans and
Williams' supporters supported her freedom through social media, a New
York lawmaker moved to ease her guardianship restrictions legally. The
Senator, identified as Anthony Palumbo, reportedly attempted to
reintroduce a law that allowed family visits.
The
legislation, "Karilyn's Law," would allow families to visit loved ones
under conservatorship by filing a motion. The legal guardian would be given 10 days to demonstrate to the court why the person wishing to visit should be denied.
If
the guardian could not present evidence of the visitor's inappropriate
behavior, the individual would be authorized to proceed with the visit.
The
Senator stressed that this law would provide family members with a
legitimate way to visit their loved ones under conservatorship without
restrictions, as alleged in Williams' case.
Wendy Williams Details Shocking Conservatorship Experience
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During
a phone interview in January, Williams shared bombshell details about
her conservatorship experience. She expressed frustration about being
isolated and unable to move or make decisions without her guardian's
acknowledgment, saying:
"I am not cognitively impaired, you know what I'm saying? But I feel like I'm in prison. I'm in this place where the people are in their 90s and, their 80s, and 70s… There's something wrong with these people here on this floor."
Additionally,
Williams described her experience as "emotional abuse." She alleged
that she was isolated and barely had people to interact with during the
day unless "nursemaids" brought her unfamiliar pills to take. She also
bashed Morrissey for holding her in a luxury prison.
Will Wendy Williams' medical reevaluation be her key to freedom?
Attorney General Tim Griffin today issued the following statement announcing the conviction of Ja’Layia McClendon, 28, of North Little Rock after she pleaded guilty in Pulaski County Circuit Court to the charge of Abuse of an Endangered or Impaired Adult, a Class D Felony:
“Protecting seniors from abuse will continue to be a priority for my office. I congratulate my Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for their diligence in securing this conviction, especially Special Agent Heath Nelson and Assistant Attorney General Gabrielle Davis-Jones. I also thank Sixth Judicial District Prosecutor Will Jones for the assistance of his office in this case.”
McClendon worked as a caregiver at Woodland Heights Senior Living, a Little Rock long-term care facility. She surrendered herself to law enforcement on October 31, 2024. McClendon struck an 82-year-old female resident who was diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, leaving bruises on the resident’s face and forearm.
McClendon was sentenced to five years of probation and a $1,000 fine.
A
woman has been charged with financially exploiting her elderly mother
in Punxsutawney, and stealing over $150,000 through her role as power of
attorney, state police said.
by Jen Russell
JEFFERSON CO., Pa. (EYT) — An area woman accused of
stealing over $150,000.00 from her elderly mother through her role as
power of attorney is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday morning.
According to court documents, a preliminary hearing for 56-year-old Kelly Jo Wright,
of Ridgway, is scheduled for Tuesday, February 4, at 11:00 a.m., in
front of Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock.
Wright faces the following charges:
Financial Exploitation of an Older Adult or Care-Dependent Person, Felony 2
Theft by Deception-False Impression, Felony 2
Theft by Deception-Prevent Acquisition of Information, Felony 2
Theft by Deception-Failure to Correct, Felony 2
She is currently lodged in Jefferson County Jail.
Details of the case:
According to Punxsutawney-based State Police, the investigation began
when Wright’s sister reported suspected theft in September 2023.
Medical records show the victim has been treated for dementia since
2020, with her condition listed as “moderate,” making her vulnerable to
exploitation, police noted.
State Police Trooper Michael C. Malloy’s investigation revealed that
Wright became power of attorney for her mother in March 2022, according
to a criminal complaint, and Wright allegedly proceeded to drain her
accounts through ATM withdrawals, gambling expenditures, and payments of
personal debts over an 18-month time period, beginning around March
2022 to approximately September 19, 2023.
It was learned in the investigation that Wright allegedly spent
thousands at casinos and gambling establishments, including businesses
in Punxsutawney and Reynoldsville, where she was reportedly gambling up
to three to five times per week. Additionally, investigators obtained
Wright’s gambling records from Seneca Casino in Salamanca, New York,
showing net losses of over $17,000.00 in 2022 and over $7,000.00 in
2023, according to the complaint.
The victim’s monthly income included Social Security benefits, her
ex-husband’s pension payments, and IRA deposits, the complaint states.
According to the complaint, Trooper Malloy learned that Wright
surrendered her mother’s $123,000.00 IRA against financial advisors’
recommendations, then withdrew over $106,000.00 in cash within 23 days,
the complaint continues.
The Jefferson County Area Agency on Aging had previously investigated
in April 2022 after receiving a referral about possible exploitation.
During their month-and-a-half investigation, protective services workers
made home visits and exchanged correspondence with the victim. Wright
claimed she was using the IRA money to build a home addition for her
mother — renovations that police believe never occurred, the complaint
notes.
According to the complaint, the investigation revealed that Wright
was operating a rescue horse farm, caring for more than 30 horses,
donkeys, dogs, and cats. It was noted there are substantial costs that
are associated with maintaining such an operation.
According to the complaint, Wright stated her only source of income
was her monthly Social Security benefit in the amount of approximately
$1,600.00.
