This article is protected under copyright law, and no part of it may be copied, excerpted, or written without it being used in its entirety. No part of it may be left out. Further, the user must send notice to the writer informing her that the article is being used. Beware – Another Elder Scam! By Janice Lauderdale @2008. All rights reserved under the Urban Classic Books banner copyright and New Image Writers copyright seal.
www.writethewrong1.com
www.newimagewriters.com
jlauderdale@newimagewriters.com
janicelauderdale@yahoo.com
Beware -- Another Elder Scam!
Not that our elderly population needed one more thing to guard against, but here it is. In the latest scam targeting seniors, CNN reported in its Saturday, October 25, 2008 evening newscast that this latest atrocity involves grandmothers, and I assume grandfathers, and their grandchildren.
What happens is a stranger places a desperation call to grandmother alarming her that her grandson has been involved in an auto accident and urgently needs grandma to wire $1,000.00. The grandmother in this particular story becomes a little suspicious. She places a call to her grandson to ensure that the information she had been given is correct. As it turns out, her grandson was just fine. Together, they agreed the whole thing was a hoax. The grandmother in this story was not the unsuspecting grandmother he was expecting to get on the phone. Well, grandma you deserve the prize today for not falling for this scam. Good job!
Conversely, we must also ask one question: how many seniors aren’t as keen as the grandmother in our story, not mentally sharp enough to ward off the predators. Well, there are 1.2 million of our precious gems who are abused annually, mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially. Far too many of them are just like sitting ducks.
What can they do to protect themselves?
1. Do not ever give your personal information over the phone to anyone. Ex: social security number, credit card and debit card numbers, bank routing information.
2, Find someone to advocate for you. If you ever get a call like the one in the story, ask the caller for their number and tell them you’ll have someone call and speak with them. That will be the end of that harassment. They’re only interested in dealing with you one-on-one. Bring in a third party, and the perpetrator will run faster than a jack rabbit.
3. Be brave while on the phone. If they know you’re scared, you’ll begin to make errors in judgment and then they’ve got you right where they want you – frazzled and mistake prone.
In my book Wealth of the Wicked: An American Tragedy of Elderly Abuse my aunt Lucille Stanton was duped by her nephew. The only difference was her nephew didn’t have to place a call to her and do evil because he lived with her as a caregiver. Still, in a short 115 days, he duped her out of her life savings by taking her to the bank and emptying her safe deposit box of $70,000 and transferred her bank savings into his checking account.
About the author—Janice M. Lauderdale has a degree in sociology and is a minister in the counseling division at a mega church in Los Angeles. Her recently published book Wealth of the Wicked: An American Tragedy of Elderly Abuse is a breakthrough for the legal and physical protection of the elderly. It puts a face on 1.2 million seniors who are abused annually. For more must-know steps and legal information contact her at:
www.writethewrong1.com
jlauderdale@newimagewriters.com
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
Finally Someone's Listening!
This article is protected under copyright law, and no part of it may be copied, excerpted, or written without it being used in its entirety. No part of it may be left out. Further, the user must send notice to the writer informing her that the article is being used. Finally Someone’s Listening! By Janice Lauderdale @2008. All rights reserved under the Urban Classic Books banner copyright and New Image Writers copyright seal.
jlauderdale@newimagewriters.com
www.writethewrong1.com
Finally Someone’s Listening!
According to The Elder Justice Coalition, the number of older Americans is growing faster, and so is the problem of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation. The Coalition states, “This often invisible treatment is among the gravest issues facing millions of American families.”
The Elder Justice Act provides federal resources to support state and community efforts dedicated to fighting elder abuse with scarce resources and fragmented systems. From a social perspective, elder justice means assuring adequate public-private infrastructures and resources to prevent, detect, treat, understand, intervene in and, where appropriate, prosecute elder abuse, neglect and exploitation. The Elder Justice Act further states, “Elder justice is the right of every older person to be free of abuse, neglect and exploitation.”
How they plan to meet the needs of this vulnerable segment of society:
· Elevate elder justice issues to national attention.
· Improve the quality, quantity and accessibility of information.
· Increase knowledge and support promising projects.
· Develop forensic capacity.
· Victim assistance, “safe havens,” and support for at-risk elders.
· Increasing prosecution.
· Training.
· Model State Laws and Practices.
· Increase Security, Collaboration, and Consumer Information in Long-Term Care.
The very notion that this piece of legislation is necessary at all is made all-too-clear as I recant my own personal nightmare with an elderly aunt who was abused, both financially and emotionally by her nephew. My aunt invited her nephew into her home to provide caregiver services. In a short 115-day period, he swindled her out of her life savings by taking her to the bank where he emptied her safe deposit box of $70,000 cash. She died penniless with a broken heart.
To teach the reader how to protect the elderly, follow the specific steps below:
1. Set up a living trust when they are sound of mind
2. Check on them daily
3. Investigate any caregiver
4. Put every agreement in writing
5. Run a credit check on any potential caregiver
6. Look for a past of violence
7. Look for a pattern of abuse
8. Do not allow family members to escape the routine for verifying their eligibility to be caregiver
More about Janice M. Lauderdale—she has a degree in sociology and is a Minister in the counseling division at a mega church in Los Angeles. Her recently published book Wealth of the Wicked: An American Tragedy of Elderly Abuse is a breakthrough for the legal and physical protection of the elderly. It puts a face on 1.2 million seniors who are abused annually. She can be contacted for more must-know steps and legal protection of the elderly. Contact her at: www.writethewrong1.com, jlauderdale@newimagewriters.com
jlauderdale@newimagewriters.com
www.writethewrong1.com
Finally Someone’s Listening!
According to The Elder Justice Coalition, the number of older Americans is growing faster, and so is the problem of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation. The Coalition states, “This often invisible treatment is among the gravest issues facing millions of American families.”
The Elder Justice Act provides federal resources to support state and community efforts dedicated to fighting elder abuse with scarce resources and fragmented systems. From a social perspective, elder justice means assuring adequate public-private infrastructures and resources to prevent, detect, treat, understand, intervene in and, where appropriate, prosecute elder abuse, neglect and exploitation. The Elder Justice Act further states, “Elder justice is the right of every older person to be free of abuse, neglect and exploitation.”
How they plan to meet the needs of this vulnerable segment of society:
· Elevate elder justice issues to national attention.
· Improve the quality, quantity and accessibility of information.
· Increase knowledge and support promising projects.
· Develop forensic capacity.
· Victim assistance, “safe havens,” and support for at-risk elders.
· Increasing prosecution.
· Training.
· Model State Laws and Practices.
· Increase Security, Collaboration, and Consumer Information in Long-Term Care.
The very notion that this piece of legislation is necessary at all is made all-too-clear as I recant my own personal nightmare with an elderly aunt who was abused, both financially and emotionally by her nephew. My aunt invited her nephew into her home to provide caregiver services. In a short 115-day period, he swindled her out of her life savings by taking her to the bank where he emptied her safe deposit box of $70,000 cash. She died penniless with a broken heart.
To teach the reader how to protect the elderly, follow the specific steps below:
1. Set up a living trust when they are sound of mind
2. Check on them daily
3. Investigate any caregiver
4. Put every agreement in writing
5. Run a credit check on any potential caregiver
6. Look for a past of violence
7. Look for a pattern of abuse
8. Do not allow family members to escape the routine for verifying their eligibility to be caregiver
More about Janice M. Lauderdale—she has a degree in sociology and is a Minister in the counseling division at a mega church in Los Angeles. Her recently published book Wealth of the Wicked: An American Tragedy of Elderly Abuse is a breakthrough for the legal and physical protection of the elderly. It puts a face on 1.2 million seniors who are abused annually. She can be contacted for more must-know steps and legal protection of the elderly. Contact her at: www.writethewrong1.com, jlauderdale@newimagewriters.com
Banks Require Managers to Identify Elder Abuse
This article is protected under copyright law, and no part of it may be copied, excerpted, or written without it being used in its entirety. No part of it may be left out. Further, the user must send notice to the writer informing her that the article is being used. Banks Require Managers to Identify Elder Abuse! By Janice Lauderdale @2008. All rights reserved under the Urban Classic Books banner copyright and New Image Writers copyright seal.
www.writethewrong1.com
www.newimagewriters.com
jlauderdale@newimagewriters.com
janicelauderdale@yahoo.com
word count: 489
Banks Require Managers to Identify Elder Abuse!
It was a sunny summer-like day, nothing unusual for California, except that I saw an old man shuffling into the bank followed by what could have been a grandson, or even a great grandson. From the look on the old gentleman’s face the bank was the last place he wanted to be. He made his way along the line, and eventually reached the teller’s window. I commented to the bank president about the old man, and he told me that just a week ago, upper management required her and others to attend a mandatory conference—on, you guessed it, elder abuse. They were being taught how to identify the abuse, and screen likely perpetrators. Then after identifying a potential violation, they had to learn the next steps.
It struck me that, if this mandatory training was just happening in 2008, what protected seniors before? If they didn’t know how to identify it, then one would have to assume that the architects of evil “got away with it.” Well, kudos to the bank. It’s better late than never!
In my book Wealth of the Wicked: An American Tragedy of Elderly Abuse this is exactly what happened to Lucille Stanton in 2004. She was taken to the bank by her nephew. She too swayed with an unsteady gait when she walked. She was old, tired, and submissive. A banker should have been able to recognize that Lucille was incapable of taking care of any business. But that is not what happened back then. He, as her caregiver, took her to the bank and emptied her life’s savings from her safe deposit box.
Lucille suffered from the effects of Alzheimer’s and had no clue that her nephew had plotted, planned and eventually executed a scheme on her. With an “I’ll take good care of you,” her nephew was allowed to move into her home. That is the one statement that will get an old person every time. They cling to those words as if they breathe life into them.
In Wealth of the Wicked there are 10 things to look for when considering hiring a caregiver. Why is this important? Because, whether the applicant is family or no family, he or she should meet certain standards of integrity and verifiable job records, and letters of recommendation. The 10 things give the person in charge a checklist that can be easily followed and executed.
More about Janice M. Lauderdale—she has a degree in sociology and is a Minister in the counseling division at a mega church in Los Angeles. Her recently published book Wealth of the Wicked: An American Tragedy of Elderly Abuse is a breakthrough for the legal and physical protection of the elderly. It puts a face on 1.2 million seniors who are abused annually. She can be contacted for more must-know steps and legal means to protect the elderly. Contact her at: www.writethewrong1.com,
www.writethewrong1.com
www.newimagewriters.com
jlauderdale@newimagewriters.com
janicelauderdale@yahoo.com
word count: 489
Banks Require Managers to Identify Elder Abuse!
It was a sunny summer-like day, nothing unusual for California, except that I saw an old man shuffling into the bank followed by what could have been a grandson, or even a great grandson. From the look on the old gentleman’s face the bank was the last place he wanted to be. He made his way along the line, and eventually reached the teller’s window. I commented to the bank president about the old man, and he told me that just a week ago, upper management required her and others to attend a mandatory conference—on, you guessed it, elder abuse. They were being taught how to identify the abuse, and screen likely perpetrators. Then after identifying a potential violation, they had to learn the next steps.
It struck me that, if this mandatory training was just happening in 2008, what protected seniors before? If they didn’t know how to identify it, then one would have to assume that the architects of evil “got away with it.” Well, kudos to the bank. It’s better late than never!
In my book Wealth of the Wicked: An American Tragedy of Elderly Abuse this is exactly what happened to Lucille Stanton in 2004. She was taken to the bank by her nephew. She too swayed with an unsteady gait when she walked. She was old, tired, and submissive. A banker should have been able to recognize that Lucille was incapable of taking care of any business. But that is not what happened back then. He, as her caregiver, took her to the bank and emptied her life’s savings from her safe deposit box.
Lucille suffered from the effects of Alzheimer’s and had no clue that her nephew had plotted, planned and eventually executed a scheme on her. With an “I’ll take good care of you,” her nephew was allowed to move into her home. That is the one statement that will get an old person every time. They cling to those words as if they breathe life into them.
In Wealth of the Wicked there are 10 things to look for when considering hiring a caregiver. Why is this important? Because, whether the applicant is family or no family, he or she should meet certain standards of integrity and verifiable job records, and letters of recommendation. The 10 things give the person in charge a checklist that can be easily followed and executed.
More about Janice M. Lauderdale—she has a degree in sociology and is a Minister in the counseling division at a mega church in Los Angeles. Her recently published book Wealth of the Wicked: An American Tragedy of Elderly Abuse is a breakthrough for the legal and physical protection of the elderly. It puts a face on 1.2 million seniors who are abused annually. She can be contacted for more must-know steps and legal means to protect the elderly. Contact her at: www.writethewrong1.com,
Monday, October 20, 2008
The Most Important Tool for Protecting the Elderly - The Living Trust
This article is protected under copyright law, and no part of it may be copied, excerpted, or written without it being used in its entirety. No part of it may be left out. Further, the user must send notice to the writer informing her that the article is being used. Elderly Abuse Must Stop! By Janice Lauderdale @2008. All rights reserved under the Urban Classic Books banner copyright and New Image Writers copyright seal.
THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOL FOR PROTECTING THE ELDERLY—
The Living Trust
A living trust is an absolute must for an elderly or incapacitated person, especially if it is a family member. Although the document is more expensive than a will, not having one can cause heartache and pain in the long run.
A will can definitely be contested. A living trust is more fool proof against someone contesting it. In my case, if a living trust had not already been in place when my aunt died, my brother could have used his bogus trust to inherit her house, as the sole heir. As I understand it, the law states that if there are two competing trusts, the last trust drawn up takes precedence over the first one. My situation, though, the last trust drawn up was deemed bogus. It was invalidated by the presiding judge.
Some of the elements that made the second trust invalid or certainly questionable for the judge’s consideration were as follows:
· At the time the second trust was drafted, the trustor was suffering from Alzheimer’s of the dementia type, and was not capable of making sound decisions.
· The trustor was not in a mental state to name beneficiaries.
· Because an existent trust was created in the year 2000, the court ruled that the second trust was signed under duress, and thus deemed bogus.
· This is a legal document and must, by law, be notarized.
· The trustor was coaxed to the neighbor’s house where the notary was present. After signing the second documents, the judge surmised that my aunt would not have said, “Now they can’t take my house.”
· The notary should never have completed and signed-off on the document, as the elderly person was not capable of understanding and answering the questions she asked.
· The original trust had been drafted four years before, naming 12+ people as beneficiaries when she was mentally competent.
· The second trust named only the nephew as beneficiary. The judge did not believe that.
· Her choices should not have been questioned at the meeting.
· It is considered criminal to obtain another trust simply because you don’t agree with the original one. Further, it is morally wrong and criminal to take someone else’s money without their conscious consent.
“To be forewarned is to be fore armed.” If you are caring for an elderly person, it is imperative to create a living trust while he or she has mental capacity. It is just as important to have the document duly notarized.
More about Janice M. Lauderdale—she has a degree in sociology and is a Minister in the counseling division at a mega church in Los Angeles. Her recently published book Wealth of the Wicked: An American Tragedy of Elderly Abuse is a breakthrough for the legal and physical protection of the elderly. It puts a face on 1.2 million seniors who are abused annually. She can be contacted for more must-know steps and legal means to protect the elderly. Contact her at: www.writethewrong1.com,
jlauderdale@newimagewriters.com
THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOL FOR PROTECTING THE ELDERLY—
The Living Trust
A living trust is an absolute must for an elderly or incapacitated person, especially if it is a family member. Although the document is more expensive than a will, not having one can cause heartache and pain in the long run.
A will can definitely be contested. A living trust is more fool proof against someone contesting it. In my case, if a living trust had not already been in place when my aunt died, my brother could have used his bogus trust to inherit her house, as the sole heir. As I understand it, the law states that if there are two competing trusts, the last trust drawn up takes precedence over the first one. My situation, though, the last trust drawn up was deemed bogus. It was invalidated by the presiding judge.
Some of the elements that made the second trust invalid or certainly questionable for the judge’s consideration were as follows:
· At the time the second trust was drafted, the trustor was suffering from Alzheimer’s of the dementia type, and was not capable of making sound decisions.
· The trustor was not in a mental state to name beneficiaries.
· Because an existent trust was created in the year 2000, the court ruled that the second trust was signed under duress, and thus deemed bogus.
· This is a legal document and must, by law, be notarized.
· The trustor was coaxed to the neighbor’s house where the notary was present. After signing the second documents, the judge surmised that my aunt would not have said, “Now they can’t take my house.”
· The notary should never have completed and signed-off on the document, as the elderly person was not capable of understanding and answering the questions she asked.
· The original trust had been drafted four years before, naming 12+ people as beneficiaries when she was mentally competent.
· The second trust named only the nephew as beneficiary. The judge did not believe that.
· Her choices should not have been questioned at the meeting.
· It is considered criminal to obtain another trust simply because you don’t agree with the original one. Further, it is morally wrong and criminal to take someone else’s money without their conscious consent.
“To be forewarned is to be fore armed.” If you are caring for an elderly person, it is imperative to create a living trust while he or she has mental capacity. It is just as important to have the document duly notarized.
More about Janice M. Lauderdale—she has a degree in sociology and is a Minister in the counseling division at a mega church in Los Angeles. Her recently published book Wealth of the Wicked: An American Tragedy of Elderly Abuse is a breakthrough for the legal and physical protection of the elderly. It puts a face on 1.2 million seniors who are abused annually. She can be contacted for more must-know steps and legal means to protect the elderly. Contact her at: www.writethewrong1.com,
jlauderdale@newimagewriters.com
Elderly Abuse - The Most Heinous Act!
This article is protected under copyright law, and no part of it may be copied, excerpted, or written without it being used in its entirety. No part of it may be left out. Further, the user must send notice to the writer informing her that the article is being used. Elderly Abuse Must Stop! By Janice Lauderdale @2008. All rights reserved under the Urban Classic Books banner copyright and New Image Writers copyright seal.
Elderly Abuse~ The Most Heinous Act!
Why are elder and dependent abuse cases on the rise? Because people have grown to feel no guilt, no remorse, no shame for stealing from the most vulnerable of people. It has become known as the most heinous act.
In some defining way, San Diego County’s Attorney General Paul Greenwood reported in the California State Retiree Magazine’s October 2008 that in the last year he prosecuted more than 200 elder abuse cases. It stands to reason that many guilty perpetrators are still living just under the radar and have managed to escape the full force of the law.
Attorney General Greenwood’s prosecution of elder abuse cases helps to call attention to the more than 1.2 million elders that are abused yearly. And that is not enough. Many of the elderly population are put at risk by those who have no use for them, except to steal their assets and money, their health, their mental stability, and sometimes their lives.
An example: My elderly aunt invites her nephew into her home to provide caregiver services. In a short 115-day period, the nephew manages to swindle her out of her life savings by taking her to the bank and emptying her safe deposit box of $70,000 cash. She died penniless with a broken heart. To make the reader aware of how to protect the elderly, just follow some specific steps:
1. Set up a living trust when they are sound of mind
2. Check on them daily
3. Investigate any caregiver
4. Put everything in writing
5. Run a credit check
6. Look for a past of violence
7. Look for a pattern of abuse
8. Do not allow family members to escape the routine for verifying their eligibility to be caregiver
More about Janice M. Lauderdale—she has a degree in sociology and is a Minister in the counseling division at a mega church in Los Angeles. Her recently published book Wealth of the Wicked: An American Tragedy of Elderly Abuse is a breakthrough for the legal and physical protection of the elderly. It puts a face on 1.2 million seniors who are abused annually. She can be contacted for more must-know steps and legal means to protect the elderly. Contact her at: www.writethewrong1.com,
jlauderdale@newimagewriters.com
Elderly Abuse~ The Most Heinous Act!
Why are elder and dependent abuse cases on the rise? Because people have grown to feel no guilt, no remorse, no shame for stealing from the most vulnerable of people. It has become known as the most heinous act.
In some defining way, San Diego County’s Attorney General Paul Greenwood reported in the California State Retiree Magazine’s October 2008 that in the last year he prosecuted more than 200 elder abuse cases. It stands to reason that many guilty perpetrators are still living just under the radar and have managed to escape the full force of the law.
Attorney General Greenwood’s prosecution of elder abuse cases helps to call attention to the more than 1.2 million elders that are abused yearly. And that is not enough. Many of the elderly population are put at risk by those who have no use for them, except to steal their assets and money, their health, their mental stability, and sometimes their lives.
An example: My elderly aunt invites her nephew into her home to provide caregiver services. In a short 115-day period, the nephew manages to swindle her out of her life savings by taking her to the bank and emptying her safe deposit box of $70,000 cash. She died penniless with a broken heart. To make the reader aware of how to protect the elderly, just follow some specific steps:
1. Set up a living trust when they are sound of mind
2. Check on them daily
3. Investigate any caregiver
4. Put everything in writing
5. Run a credit check
6. Look for a past of violence
7. Look for a pattern of abuse
8. Do not allow family members to escape the routine for verifying their eligibility to be caregiver
More about Janice M. Lauderdale—she has a degree in sociology and is a Minister in the counseling division at a mega church in Los Angeles. Her recently published book Wealth of the Wicked: An American Tragedy of Elderly Abuse is a breakthrough for the legal and physical protection of the elderly. It puts a face on 1.2 million seniors who are abused annually. She can be contacted for more must-know steps and legal means to protect the elderly. Contact her at: www.writethewrong1.com,
jlauderdale@newimagewriters.com
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