Mickey Rooney’s testimony in March, 2011 before congress is a poignant reminder that all of us may one day be vulnerable to elder abuse, celebrity or not. As we age, all of us become more dependant on our friends and loved ones to help support our daily lives. That support may be in the form of managing one’s financial affairs or tending to the physical needs of the body. If the designated agent doesn’t have the integrity of character or the strength of will to do "the right thing" by the vulnerable senior, that agent has no business being in charge of a senior’s care.
What safeguards can be put into place to help lessen the threat of elder abuse? First of all, know the people who are selected to help care for the senior. A background check should be completed which includes both a financial and criminal check. It may also be helpful to create a team of qualified people to help care for the senior. If more then one person is responsible for the senior’s care, the care givers are less likely to become overwhelmed and resentful of the senior. It is also helpful for a care giver to join a support group. In this forum, a care giver is able to discuss the burdens and hardships of being a care giver with others in a positive environment. This will have the effect of helping the care giver cope with tending to the needs of a dependent senior. It is not easy to grow old in our society nor is it easy to be the one responsible for taking care of a dependant, aging senior.
Please contact our office to speak to an attorney about elder abuse concerns you may have.
Elise Lampert, Esq.
Elise Lampert Attorney at Law
15260 Ventura Blvd., Suite 2250
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
Tel. (818)905-0601
Email:eliselampert@sbcglobal.net
www.eliselampert.com
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