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New mental health center doubles conservatorship beds in city for seriously ill

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A number of Bay Area hospitals have banded together with city officials to try to help the toughest cases among San Francisco’s homeless.

The San Francisco Healing Center, a new 54-bed psychiatric facility, occupies an entire floor at St. Mary’s hospital and is intended to serve the city’s most vulnerable individuals: those suffering from severe mental illness or addiction, who are also some of the most difficult to channel off the streets and into stable housing.

Businesses in San Francisco have been concerned about the impact of the city’s sizable homeless population for years, especially as both residents and tourists continue to note aggressive behavior, open drug use and needles littering streets in surveys.

While the new center will not solve homelessness, it will add more resources and the center could be a model that’s scaled up in the future. It’s designed for a spectrum of treatment that includes 24-hour nursing and psychiatric care, counseling, medical treatment, community support and activities, and individual recovery and discharge planning.

“We have all worked together really well in trying to get this facility off the ground,” said Barbara Garcia, director of health at San Francisco’s Department of Public Health, which is involved in the project. “It’ll be providing mental health support, vocational training — it really is a recovery model.”

The center will double the city’s number of conversatorship beds. Granted by a judge, conservatorships are assigned in cases where an individual is mentally ill or drug addicted — or both — and unable to live independently. Previously, individuals who couldn’t be accommodated needed to wait for placement in out-of-county facilities, hospitals or jail.

What makes the center’s approach unique, according to Crestwood Behavioral Health Executive Vice President Patricia Blum, are practices that take into account multiple factors. Crestwood Behavioral Health is one of the partners involved in the project.

“We use really promising, evidence-based practices that include trauma-informed services, with a focus on treating trauma and not just the diagnosis,” she said. “We also use an employment model, helping to connect people with jobs in the community. If people have a meaningful role and purpose, there’s a significant impact.”

Although the number of beds is relatively small when compared to the city’s homeless population of nearly 7,000 — 40 beds, plus an additional 14 beds available to outside providers to purchase — getting help to more people should help both them and the city.

“We’re here as a business community worried about the very future of San Francisco’s brand,” Joe D’Alessandro, president and CEO of San Francisco Travel told the Business Times in 2016. In the past several months, property owners in both the Financial District and western SoMa have started working on creating community benefit districts to combat homelessness and dirty streets.

The 40 beds are for individuals who wind up in inpatient treatment through conservatorships. Conservatorships have been relatively rare until now, but they may also be expanding if SB 1045, a state Senate bill sponsored by Sens. Scott Wiener and Henry Stern, is successful. The bill proposes broadening the authority of counties to assign conservatorships to individuals who are too impaired by mental illness or severe drug addiction to care for themselves.

Wiener said that strengthening conservatorship laws for “extreme cases” are a necessary lever for getting chronically homeless into treatment.

“Here in San Francisco our public health officials and community organizations have been working tirelessly, but they need more tools to help the people that are suffering on our streets,” he said.

If the bill is successful, San Francisco Healing Center may serve as a particularly important partnership model for connecting some of the city’s neediest to a network of care beyond an initial hospital stay.

The healing center is a public-private partnership between the San Francisco Department of Public Health, Dignity Health, UCSF Health and Crestwood Behavioral Health.

The Department led the partnership, and will oversee the center and contribute $5 million per year to its operations. Dignity Health contributed the space. UCSF Health contributed $1 million toward renovations and programming. The program will be run by Crestwood Behavioral Health, a longtime partner of the city of San Francisco in providing mental health and addiction care.

“It’s difficult to find space in San Francisco. We were fortunate to find an empty space in a hospital, and I’m working right now on the potential for adding more beds,” Garcia said. “Having the facility on a hospital campus, individuals are a bit more protected and have access to more resources.”

Full Article & Source:
New mental health center doubles conservatorship beds in city for seriously ill

Former nursing home worker sentenced for sex with resident

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Gonzalez-Medina
FORT EDWARD — A former nursing assistant who pleaded guilty to having sexual contact with a resident of the nursing home where he worked has been sentenced to 10 years on probation.

Richard Gonzalez-Medina, 25, pleaded guilty in Washington County Court in February to a felony count of third-degree criminal sexual act as part of a plea deal.

He was charged in connection with an incident last June at the Washington Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Argyle, where he worked.

His lawyer, Cheryl Coleman, said Gonzalez-Medina regretted the incident and that her client "mistook the victim’s silence for acquiescence."

The victim, who was in the home for rehabilitation, told police that Gonzalez-Medina had been fondling him during baths before attempting oral sex.

Gonzalez-Medina will have to register as a sex offender and faces up to 4 years in state prison if he violates probation. The state has stripped his CNA license, finding that he was guilty of "resident abuse."

Full Article & Source: 
Former nursing home worker sentenced for sex with resident

Governor Walker signs Alzheimer's related bills into law

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MADISON, Wis. - On April 3, Governor Scott Walker signed two bills related to Alzheimer’s care into law.

The first bill, AB-629, reviews and adjusts Guardianship Laws to allow Wisconsin courts to effectively communicate with other courts when a jurisdictional issue arises. Sample issues can arise in a situation involving individuals who live seasonally in another state, transfer of guardianship and long-distance caregiving. This bill would simplify the process for resolving a jurisdictional adult guardianship issue, thus allowing cases to be settled more quickly, and provide more predictable outcomes.

Bill AB-632 allows the Department of Health services to distribute up to $500,000 in grants to community programs in efforts to raise awareness and utilization of such services and support programs, specifically in rural areas.

“A lot of it is education and just making sure that the local agencies are empowered to educate people on where people can turn to,” said Abbe Klein with the Alzheimer's Association.

Both bills were passed through their respective committees and full chambers with unanimous “yes” votes, but the organization said they’re not stopping yet.

“There are always bills that are in the works and that we're always kind of advocating for and educating people on. So no, this is definitely not the end, it's a great step forward but there are always going to be more bills in the pipeline we're going to want support on,” said Klein.

For more information about the Alzheimer’s Association, visit alz.org or call 800.272.3900.

Full Article & Source:
Governor Walker signs Alzheimer's related bills into law

Brookdale Senior Living residents join class action lawsuit

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Bernie Jestrabek-Hart calls her Brookdale Senior Living Scotts Valley apartment a ‘live-in art studio.’ (Dan Coyro -- Santa Cruz Sentinel)
SCOTTS VALLEY >> Two residents of Brookdale Senior Living Scotts Valley have joined a lawsuit filed in federal court in San Francisco alleging the company based in Brentwood, Tennessee, committed elder financial abuse through understaffing that makes it impossible to provide services residents were promised and have paid for.

The lawsuit, which names seven plaintiffs, seeks class action status for 5,000-plus residents in Brookdale’s 89 assisted living facilities in California and at least $45 million in damages, $9,000 for each affected resident.

The lawsuit alleges Brookdale, a publicly traded company that is the largest provider of assisted living for senior citizens in the U.S., violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by failing to make its facilities readily accessible by individuals with disabilities.

Bernie Jestrabek-Hart, 72, of Scotts Valley, is one of the plaintiffs. The other Scotts Valley plaintiff is Patricia Lindstrom, 81, whose husband Art died in February of a heart attack.

The lawsuit alleges Brookdale staffing is based on predetermined labor budgets and desired profit margins, with permission from corporate headquarters required for deviation. This creates a disincentive for executive directors at a facility to request increased staffing “because they are not eligible for bonuses unless they meet earnings targets,” according to the lawsuit. Gay Crosthwait Grunfeld of Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld, one of three law firms representing plaintiffs, contends the incidents detailed in the initial lawsuit filed in July are symptoms of a systematic problem at Brookdale facilities.

Jestrabek-Hart read about the lawsuit and contacted the law firm to share her story.

Brookdale spokeswoman Heather Hunter said, “We believe this lawsuit is without merit. We are not able speak directly to specifics, but we are defending ourselves vigorously.”

In February, Brookdale Senior Living reported a net loss of $572 million for 2017 on $4.75 billion in revenue, compared with a net loss of $405 million on $4.98 billion in revenue for 2017.

STAFFING ISSUES

Brookdale Scotts Valley, licensed for 220 beds at 100 Lockwood Lane, was called Oak Tree Villa before Brookdale took over.

Jestrabek-Hart, who uses a wheelchair, came to Brookdale Scotts Valley in October 2015 and is paying $4,477 per month plus $834 per month for assistance with dressing and showering.

Fees have risen 21 percent and 11 percent respectively since she moved in, compared to the 2016 consumer price index was 3.4 percent, according to the lawsuit.

A metal sculptor for 30 years, Jestrabek-Hart overcame polio and ran an equestrian facility in Idaho. In 2012, she switched to fabric creations after surgeries to fuse her back and replace her shoulders. She’s dealt with arthritis and fractured toes on her right foot.

She expected she would get help showering four times a week as per her contract and that she would be able to take the Brookdale shuttle bus to doctor’s visits and social outings, as the company website stated.

After she moved in, she learned transportation was limited — Monday and Thursday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — and she was told her motorized wheelchair was too heavy — which had not been an obstacle at her prior assisted living residence in San Jose.

She said she calls Para Cruz, and pays for the service herself.

According to the lawsuit, the fees have risen due to the cost of providing services but Jestrabek-Hart said there are not enough staff.

She was one of several residents stranded on the first floor for three hours, unable to reach her room on the second floor, when the power went out. She was unable to use to her CPAP machine, prescribed for sleep apnea; there was only one generator-powered outlet in another wing, inaccessible to her.

She has waited two to three hours for a staffer to help her shower, sometimes falling asleep before assistance arrives, and she has waited 90 minutes to an hour in the morning and evening for help dressing and undressing. She’s been told only one staff member is on duty to meet the needs of 150 residents.

She once fell out of her wheelchair onto the floor of the laundry room, enclosed by a heavy hard-to-open door and lacking emergency pull cords, with no way to summon help; by chance someone walked in and assisted her.

She notified the facility, but nothing has changed.

MEALS ISSUE

Lindstrom and her husband came to Brookdale Senior Living in November 2015, attracted by “nutritious meals and snacks planned by a registered dietician,” as one of the forms said.

Her husband had diabetes, heart disease and cognitive impairment. They paid $5,900 per month for a two-bedroom unit plus $400 per month as a second-resident fee, before moving to a smaller studio for $4,295 per month plus the $400 per month second-resident fee.

Lindstrom found there was no dietician on staff and too few staff to pay attention to individual dietary needs. The menus, determined in Tennessee, were starchy, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes and root vegetables, lots of canned foods rather than fresh, and “sugar, not just in desserts,” she said.
In three months, her husband gained 20 pounds, she said.

“His blood sugar was high repeatedly,” she said. “That meant his brain didn’t work right.”

COMPLAINTS

In April 2017, the state Department of Social Services, which licenses residential care facilities for the elderly, issued a $10,000 penalty to Brookdale Senior Living Scotts Valley after an investigation into a fall by elderly man on Feb. 21, 2016 and discovered the next day.

The man was hospitalized in the intensive care unit for dehydration and rhabdomyoloysis, which is when damaged muscle issue breaks down.

The state found the man had not received food or water for 24 hours, concluding “staff failed to provide.”

Jestrabek-Hart is serving her second one-year stint as president of the resident’s council. She sent letters last fall to then-CEO Andy Smith and in March to the new CEO, Cindy Baier, describing issues such as not enough staffing, transportation problems for those with electric wheelchairs and uneven sidewalks due to tree roots creating trip hazards.

State law requires residential facilities to respond in writing within 14 days to any written concerns or recommendations submitted by a family council representing residents, but Jestrabek-Hart did not get a response to her letters.

She said the new executive director, May Sunglao, who started in August, made some improvements, such as painting the sidewalk trip hazards yellow so they are easier to see and taking care of the lawn.

“Our staff is wonderful. They work very hard trying to do what’s right,” said Jestrabek-Hart.

If the lawsuit should be successful, she would like to see more staff.

At the front desk is a notice saying seven positions are available.

Baier, who became CEO Feb. 28, told McKnight’s Senior Living that the Brookdale plans to increase total compensation costs 5.5 percent to 6 percent, improving salaries and wages to boost employee retention.

Full Article & Source:
Brookdale Senior Living residents join class action lawsuit

Minnesota Department of Health Seeks Input on Elder Abuse Complaints

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Taking another step to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Minnesota’s elder care regulation, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) today issued a formal request for information (RFI) seeking stakeholder feedback on specifications and functions of a new electronic case management system to replace the antiquated system currently in use in its Office of Health Facility Complaints (OHFC).

Posted on the MDH website at Request for Information: Vulnerable Adult Abuse Case Management System (PDF), the RFI was developed in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Human Services and Minnesota Information Technology Services. The process is designed to generate information that will be used in evaluating and contrasting various private-sector case management systems, potential pricing and possible options. MDH intends to make public the results of the RFI and discuss the findings with legislators prior to selecting any system.

“Minnesotans expect safe, quality care for their loved ones in long-term care settings, and they expect us to hold care providers accountable,” said Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm. “Having a modern, highly functioning case management system in place is an important step toward ensuring that OHFC can do its work more efficiently and effectively.”

The RFI lists several features expected to be part of the new case management system, including:

  *Receiving and coordinating new complaints, including documentation and evidence;
  *Assessing complaints to determine urgency, jurisdiction and need for onsite investigation;
  *Real-time monitoring and updates on the status of each complaint and investigation;
  *Ensuring compliance with all state and federal deadlines;
  *Notification of all parties on complaint status, as permitted by law;
  *Tracking staff workload for future assignments and performance outcomes;
  *Tracking appeals and required activities; and
  *Providing easy access to publicly reported data for trends analysis and prevention.

MDH anticipates responses to the RFI document will come from two general categories: interested stakeholders (including legislators, consumer advocates, long-term care providers and family members) and interested vendors (non-profit and for-profit organizations with experience in design and implementation of case management systems). RFI responses are due by 4 p.m. on Friday, May 4, 2018. MDH will summarize results and post them publicly to the OHFC Project website later that month.

Source:
Press Release: MDH seeks input on new electronic case management system for elder abuse complaints

Texas Probate Judge Kelly Cross Disputes Claim Made by County Clerk

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In a letter sent this week to the San Antonio Express-News, Probate Court No. 1 Judge Kelly Cross disputed a claim made by Bexar County Clerk Gerry Rickhoff about events that preceded a horrific double-homicide.

Rickhoff was “totally wrong,” Cross wrote, when he stated that a mental health warrant to detain Casey Farrell Marshall was denied because of a lack of bed space. Cross, who has not responded to multiple requests for an interview, implied in the letter that the warrant was denied for failing to meet “applicable criteria.”

According to police, Marshall killed his girlfriend, Andrea Gonzalez, and her 11-year-old daughter, Azriah, with a hatchet on the city’s Northwest Side on March 17 — two days after the warrant to detain him was denied.

I reported Rickhoff’s statement in my column this week, along with former associate probate-court judge Oscar Kazen’s reaction to it. Kazen, who is running to oust Cross in November, called the failure to detain Marshall before the killings “a breakdown of process.”

Rickhoff has declined to release the file on Marshall due to civil rights and privacy laws. After consulting with his staff and his attorney, however, the county clerk on Wednesday stood by his initial statement.

“I went and reread that file,” Rickhoff said. “And yeah, I’m going to stand by what I said. … I’m a truth teller. I don’t care if it hurts me. I’m going to tell the truth.”

He added, “I did meet with my staff on this issue and consulted with them. They indicated the truthfulness of my remarks.

Full Article and Source:
Judge Disputes Claim Made by County Clerk

Georgia Probate Judge Indicted After $430K Goes Missing

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WALB.com, South Georgia News, Weather, Sports

A Georgia probate judge has been indicted on charges of racketeering and theft by taking after nearly half a million dollars was stolen from the Atkinson County Probate Court's Office.

Probate Judge Marjorie O’Brien was arrested on January 27, 2017, and charged with one count of theft by taking.

An investigation was launched into the possible theft of funds by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation at the request of Superior Court Judge Howard McClain on January 17, 2017.

During the investigation, the GBI determined O’Brien had stolen approximately $430,000 from the Atkinson County Probate court's Office between 2010 and 2016.

On Monday, O'Brien was indicted by an Atkinson County grand jury on two counts of racketeering and 81 counts of theft by taking.

Atkinson County Sheriff David Moore says the whole situation caught him completely off guard.

"It's like a kick in the stomach. One it's a small county, everybody knows everybody. We may talk about you, but we still like you. It was hard. It's hard for a lot of people," said Moore.

The case is being prosecuted by the Georgia Attorney General's Office.

Illinois Woman Arrested for Financial Exploitation of Disabled Person

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A Franklin Grove woman was charged Wednesday with financially exploiting a disabled woman.

Dixon police arrested Tina M. Parks, 53, on two counts of financial exploitation of a disabled person, one instance ranging between $300 and $5,000 and the other for less than $300.

The felony charges carry sentences of 2 to 5 years and 1 to 3 years, respectively. The exploitation took place on March 30 and 31 when Parks, “standing in a position of trust or confidence ... knowingly and by deception or intimidation” used the disabled person’s assets, according to court documents.

Full Article and Source:
Franklin Grove Woman Arrested for Financial Exploitation of Disabled Person

NY Judge Leticia Astacio Gets Pay Raise After Working 213 Out of 214 Days

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Rochester City Court Judge Leticia Astacio has received a pay raise, increasing her compensation to $187,200.

An agreement issued by the Commission on Legislative, Judicial and Executive Compensation Board is responsible for the pay increase. It is the final of four installments agreed upon for all judges working in New York. This process began in 2015.

Chief Administrative Judge Craig Doran confirmed Monday that Astacio is still not showing up for work as directed.

Astacio did report for work on Tuesday, February 27 for one day– and has not been back since. Judge Doran sent a letter to Astacio on February 23, ordering her to return to work at the Hall of Justice on February 26. Prior to this, she had not reported to work since August 31.

Astacio was assigned to handle legal work that did not put her on the bench. She subsequently provided Doran with a doctor's note, stating that she could not work.

The Rochester City Court judge was charged with DWI in February 2016 after she was involved in a car accident on Rt. 490 West while on her way to court to handle criminal arraignments. She was sentenced to 60 days in jail, three years probation, and six months with an alcohol ankle monitor in July 2017.

The New York State Judicial Conduct Commission has remained largely silent on whether it will or will not take up the case of Astacio's position of the bench.

Source:
After not working 213 of 214 days, Judge Astacio receives pay raise

See Also:
Editorial: Astacio Case Shows Need to Reform How New York Disciplines Judges

NY Judge Arrested, Led From Courthouse in Handcuffs

Judge Astacio Arrested, Sent to Jail Until Thursday's Hearing

One of America’s most popular drugs — first aimed at schizophrenia — reveals the issues of ‘off-label’ use

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The first warning came a dozen years ago, when the Food and Drug Administration accused the drug company AstraZeneca of “false or misleading” information about health risks in the marketing material for its blockbuster medication Seroquel, an antipsychotic developed to treat schizophrenia but increasingly prescribed “off label” for insomnia.

What followed was an onslaught of litigation by state attorneys general, who charged AstraZeneca with fraudulently promoting Seroquel for unapproved uses, and by individual patients, who claimed that it had failed to alert consumers about some of the drug’s most pernicious side effects. Although the company never admitted wrongdoing, by the end of 2011 it had paid out more than $1 billion to settle many of the cases.

Another product might have been derailed, but not Seroquel. Despite generic competition and lingering lawsuits, AstraZeneca’s annual reports show Seroquel remained a blockbuster, with $3.6 billion in sales from 2014 to 2016. In the drug’s titanic success and its strong link to off-label prescribing lies a cautionary tale — about the sometimes conflicting forces within health care, the relationship between medications and marketing, and the limits of regulatory protections.

Full Article and Source:
One of America’s most popular drugs — first aimed at schizophrenia — reveals the issues of ‘off-label’ use

Marti Oakley: Minnesota Boomers Express Fear of Doctors

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“Attendee’s reported that when they were hospitalized, they were given sedatives (chemical restraint) against their will. Add to this that many talked about the callous treatment they received by hospital staff, including at times (but not often), physical abuse. Virtually all in attendance were concerned that if they were hospitalized, they would never return home.”

At a recent local meeting here in Minnesota with approximately 60 elderly individuals, 60 and over, several things caught my attention that I found alarming. The recent revelations about the lack of oversight, concern, and ongoing abuse, neglect and exploitation of seniors in nursing homes was paramount, many fearing or believing that at some point they would end up in one of these houses of horror.   Reports of a senior in an assisted living facility, who had died two days prior without anyone noticing, must have terrorized these people even more.




Full Article and Source:
Marti Oakley: Minnesota Boomers Express Fear of Doctors

Tonight on Marti Oakley's T. S. Radio: Abolishing Probate with Lisa Belanger

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5:00 pm PST … 6:00 pm MST … 7:00 pm CST … 8:00 pm EST
Join Marti Oakley with Luanne Fleming and Robin Austin as we host Atty. Lisa Belanger from Massachusetts..

Lisa has just organized The People's Center for Law & Justice and is working to end the probate/guardian system that is operating across the country. Lisa's organization will also work to counter bogus legislation which is actually intended to worsen the problems with professional, for-profit guardians and the ensuing plundering of estates.

We will also discuss the difference between public and private guardians...is there actually a difference?

A recent bill in Massachusetts offered by the former AG of Mass., would have given immunity to virtually every person involved in these guardianship scams. Even those the former AG identified as having committed "ordinary negligence" would have been immune from prosecution under this bill. Subsequent letters to the former AG asking him to define just exactly what ordinary negligence is, have gone unanswered.

LISTEN to the show live or listen to the archive later

GETTING A PET CAN IMPROVE AGING IN PLACE

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Are you wondering how you are going to care for your pet as you age in place? Are you wondering if you should adopt a pet as you age in place? This guide will help you decide on the best choice for you. Studies have shown that owning a pet can be physically and mentally beneficial for people of all ages. In the case of senior citizens, “just 15 minutes bonding with an animal sets off a chemical chain reaction in the brain, lowering levels of the fight-or-flight hormone, cortisol, and increasing production of the feel-good hormone serotonin. The result: heart rate, blood pressure and stress levels immediately drop. Over the long term, pet and human interactions can lower cholesterol levels, fight depression and may even help protect against heart disease and stroke” (Byrne, 2015).

Pet Adoption for Seniors


If you are mostly immobile, a cat may be the best option because you don’t have to walk them. A small dog that uses pee pads or a caged animal may also be a good option. Senior dogs and cats are better for the elderly because they are more calm, quiet, and less maintenance. Be sure to have the pet checked out by a veterinarian. A pre-existing illness or disease could drain your bank account or make you sick. For those seniors who want a dog, there are many reasons to be wary of jumping into pet adoption too quickly. The lack of mobility and inability to drive to and from the vet, groomer, or pet store worries them. The initial costs are usually high. They also worry that if and when there comes a point when they can no longer care for the dog, that the dog might be taken to a shelter and eventually euthanized. Many seniors feel like their worsening health condition is a burden, and a pet might possibly add to that.

Top 6 Reasons Seniors Should Adopt a Pet

There are numerous reasons for adopting a pet. From companionship to security, pets can provide seniors a better quality of live and improve aging in place. Finding the right pet for you or your family member is easy, and the benefits can be far-reaching.


Matching Older Dogs with the Elderly


Pets for Seniors in Illinois created an adoption program that matches senior dogs and senior cats with senior citizens. They worked out solutions to the issues that seniors have with pet adoption, and the program is very successful. The program pays for most of the adoption fee, chooses calm and housebroken older dogs, and provides support every step of the way. If the animal is not a good fit, the organization will take back the pet and refund any fees. Other humane shelters around the nation are trying to replicate this model.

Pet Therapy for Seniors


 Those who work caring for the elderly say that pets pull withdrawn seniors out of their shell, provide mild activity and cardio through walking and grooming the pet, and offer a way to feel needed and connect with the world. Pet therapy can also help with Alzheimer’s Sundowners Syndrome. Nighttime can be very confusing and disorienting for folks with Alzheimer’s disease. This is when some Alzheimer’s patients try to run away or leave their home. A pet can prevent this issue by keeping those with Alzheimer’s connected and occupied.
“Animals’ non-verbal communication and profound acceptance can be soothing for those with difficulty using language; some may even connect with memories of their own treasured pets”
“Animals’ non-verbal communication and profound acceptance can be soothing for those with difficulty using language; some may even connect with memories of their own treasured pets” (Byrne, 2015). Pet therapy has shown to improve appetite, social interaction, brain stimulation, and tactile activity. The unconditional love of a dog brings healing and meaning to a sometimes lonely stage in life. Ask your doctor, physical therapist, or social worker about any pet therapy programs in your community. Just because you give away a pet or choose not to take one into your home, it doesn’t mean that you can’t visit with other family pets or receive pet therapy. There are pet therapy home visit services all over the country. Alliance of Therapy Dogs and Therapy Dogs International are volunteer-run organizations with outposts all over the world. A local volunteer will come to your home and bring a trained service dog that is very well-behaved. The dog can play, cuddle, and perform commands during a half hour or one hour session.

Service Dogs for Seniors


For seniors with disabilities, a service dog might be the best option. “The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) of 2011 defines service dogs as those trained to do work directly related to a person’s disability.  Emotional support animals and dogs used as crime deterrents are excluded from this definition.  A service dog is expected to accompany a person with a disability at all times” (Wang, 2013). Service dogs go through extensive training to remain calm and help their owner with mobility issues. Service dog skills include: opening doors with a strap, pushing doors closed, helping their handler dress and undress, helping those in wheelchairs sit up straight & place feet and arms on footrests and armrests, preventing falls, and retrieving wheelchairs and walkers. It’s amazing the tasks these dogs can do! In an emergency situation, service dogs are trained to perform life-saving tasks, like retrieving medication, calling 911, opening the door for EMT and first responders, running to get help or barking for help after identifying an emergency, and laying down on their handler’s chest to help them cough or breath better. For hearing impaired owners, service dogs are trained in alerting their handlers to the presence of other people or particular sounds, retrieving dropped objects, carrying messages, and warning that an unseen vehicle is approaching. For visually impaired owners, service dogs are trained in avoiding obstacles like moving vehicles, signaling change in elevation, locating objects on command, and retrieving dropped objects. Find the right service dog for you. Pets often increase the amount of exercise pet owners get versus non-pet owners. More exercise isn’t always a good thing for older people with injuries and susceptibility to falls. There are also some nonprofits in existence that will help elderly folks care for their pets when walking their dog multiple times a day or cleaning out the litter box is too burdensome. Look to see if there is one in your area.

The Cost of Pet Ownership


 It is important to make sure you have the funds to adopt a pet. Puppies have been known to cost upwards of $800 in their first year for healthcare, food, toys, and everything else that goes into pet care. Are you able to spend over $500 a year on your dog or cat? If not, a bird or fish might be a better option. In some cases, it may be necessary to make the heartbreaking decision to give up a pet. Elderly people give up their pets for several different reasons. They might not be physically able to care for them anymore, they might not be allowed to have a pet in their assisted living facility or nursing home, they might rather spend their time traveling, or they might actually be relieved to no longer have the responsibility.

The Risks


 What you don’t hear about very often are the dangers of owning a pet as a senior citizen. “Over 86,000 people per year have to go to the emergency room because of falls involving their dogs and cats, and these fractures can be devastating for the elderly,” said Judy Stevens, an epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Seliger, 2012). If you think about it, you might know someone (maybe yourself) who has fallen trying to care for a pet.

Some studies even find that the more attached an elderly person is to their pet, the more depressed they are. This could very well be a correlation, not causation, but it is something to consider if you are prone to depression or mental illness. Some doctors studying seniors and their pets believe that the death of an animal can affect an elderly person’s depression in a more severe way. Life can be isolating as you age, and the death of pet could add to this stress. Other studies have found that if you have a strong social network, having a pet makes no difference in your happiness level. These opposing studies create conflicting views on the subject, so it is wise to just do what’s best for you.

You know yourself better than anyone, so be honest about whether keeping your pet or adopting one is a good idea or not. Create a pros and cons list. Many doctors believe that the benefits outweigh the risks, but they might not for you. See if you can find a co-caretaker for your pet. Is your mobility good enough to not fall when picking up a dog that is running circles around you? Is it hard for you to bend down to their level to clean up after a cat or dog? Asking a loved one or volunteer agency to take care of the more physical aspects of pet care can alleviate stress and susceptibility to accidents. If you don’t have a close family member or friend to do this, you might have to give away your pet. This is a hard decision, and your doctor and family can help you make it. The downside of pet ownership is a difficult subject to breach because no one wants to give up their beloved pet. Again, designating a trusted family member, neighbor, or friend to come check on you and your pet’s well-being is a great idea. If you have a grandchild or child whom bonds with your dog or cat, they might not mind coming over to let the dog out, or scoop out the cat litter. Don’t put yourself in danger of breaking bones simply because you are too proud to ask for help. Having a plan B and/or a pet helper may prevent injuries that lead to surgery, months of rehabilitation, and a lot of emotional stress.

How to Care for Your Pet While Aging in Place


Although, pets can do wonders for an elderly adult, the pet’s needs are important to keep in mind as well. In some cases, an elderly person may forget to medicate or feed their pet. They may get to the point where walking their dog is difficult. For these reasons, choosing a designated family member or in-home health aide that is willing to check on the pet and help take care of it would be ideal. Make sure you are taking care of yourself first and foremost (Remember the oxygen mask metaphor? You can’t take care of someone if you don’t care for yourself first). Some older folks go without food or necessities because money is tight, and they love their dog too much to let them suffer. Don’t be that person! Reach out to family members, friends, neighbors who care, or a nonprofit that provides assistance to aging pet owners. Veterinarians are good resources for finding pet care assistance. Your well-being should be top priority. Have a succession plan for your pet. If you are an aging pet owner, create a succession plan you are comfortable with early on. Designating a god-parent or guardian for your pet in case you become ill or unable to care for the pet, is the humane, smart path to take. This designated guardian could be a family member, friend, neighbor, or trusted pet adoption agency. If you do decide to give up your pet for adoption, an “open adoption” is best. Meet with your designated guardian beforehand, so that they can bond with your pet and see if they are really right for ownership. And, make sure that you will be allowed to visit your pet if you are able. If a family member or home health aide moves in to be a caregiver, they might not be able to take care of both you and your pet. A rambunctious, needy pet or a pet with multiple medications and a high maintenance routine may be too much work. Caregivers may not be willing to perform these tasks on top of other caregiving duties. This is a decision you will have to make together. Euthanizing a pet should be the last resort. Some older people believe that putting their animal down is the best option because the animal is so bonded to its owner that it would be too depressed to bond with a new owner. This is not normally the case. There are many options for adoption, foster care, and shelters that can take care of your pet. Keep your pet for as long as possible, but don’t be afraid to start the succession plan when you need to. Taking away a pet may cause an elderly person to deteriorate mentally and physically, so make sure to allow regular visits with the pet. Many older folks look forward to these planned pet visits.

Conclusion


Owning a pet while aging in place is certainly not for everyone. Ask your veterinarian, family members, and doctor if this is the right decision for you and your health. If you are healthy enough or your caregiver is willing enough to care for a pet, the rewards of pet ownership can be life-changing. An aging dog, cat, or even bird could be the best medicine and your best friend, all in one.

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GETTING A PET CAN IMPROVE AGING IN PLACE

Oklahoma woman wanted in 4 counties for fraud, exploitation of the elderly

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Anissa Vandenburg
MIDWEST CITY, Okla. — Police are looking for an Oklahoma woman accused of preying on seniors. Anissa Vandenburg is wanted in four Oklahoma Counties for a variety of crimes, including writing bad checks, document forgery, bank fraud, and financial exploitation of the elderly.

Investigators say she’s a skilled con artist who knows how to manipulate others.

“It goes back many years with this woman,” said David Cathey, an investigator with the Office of the District Attorney, 19th District. “She’s a habitual criminal.”

A Midwest City grandmother says she was tricked into giving Vandenburg $8,000 last year.

“Maybe about two or three weeks later, I realized I had been conned,” said LaDonna Bala. “It took me a while to report it because I felt like an idiot.”

Vandenburg worked as a bartender at the Moose Lodge, where Bala is a member. She came over to Bala’s home last April with an elaborate story about why she needed money, and Bala believed her. Bala says she finally realized it was a scam when she looked up Vandenburg’s court records online.
“I don’t think I’ll ever be that open or trusting again,” Bala said.

The experience has affected her financially and spiritually, but she’s hopeful others will learn from her mistake and justice will eventually be served.

“Vandenburg really is something of a sociopath in that she creates a lot of delusions and she’s very convincing to the people she talks to with her delusions,” said Cathey. “She loves to portray herself as a victim.”

Cathey believes Vandenburg is living in Midwest City or Guthrie, and he’s trying to track her down.
“We can’t find her,” he said. “We want the public to pick up the phone if you’ve seen her.”

Vandenburg is possible traveling with her husband, Harold Vandenburg. They may be in a black, 1995 Ford Ranger pick-up truck with Oklahoma tag number CFE418.

If you see them, you’re asked to call police.

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Oklahoma woman wanted in 4 counties for fraud, exploitation of the elderly

State faults Eagan assisted living facility after resident’s body apparently not discovered for 2 days

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Debbie Singer walked up to her mother’s apartment at an Eagan senior living community to find multiple packages and two newspapers outside the door. Her mother’s bed and bathroom looked as if they hadn’t been used in days. Medication for the past two days had not been taken, and her mother was wearing the same clothing she’d been in two days earlier.

June Alice Thompson was 92 years old when she died in October 2017 at The Commons on Marice in Eagan. Her daughter described her as a “fiery redhead” who loved animals, dancing, golfing, singing, and fishing. (Courtesy of Debbie Singer).
June Alice Thompson, 92, was dead, and most likely had been for two days.

But Commons on Marice, a senior living community in Eagan, hadn’t noticed because staff had neglected to check on Thompson for two days, according to allegations in a state Health Department report released Tuesday.

Commons on Marice said Tuesday it has appealed the findings.

“Our hearts go out to this resident’s family and friends and we are deeply sorry for their loss,” executive director David Salmon said in a statement. “As a senior living community, we sometimes have residents pass away while living with us, and our intent is to always handle those events with respect and sensitivity.”

Singer said she was pleased with the state’s findings.

The Health Department alleges that while Thompson’s death was most likely natural, Commons on Marice failed to complete the daily checks the privately operated facility advertises and did not notice Thompson’s death for two days. The name of the victim and her daughter were included in the Eagan Police Department report on the incident, but not in the state report.

Thompson had terminal esophageal cancer and was classified as “assisted living,” but she was independent enough to use her own feeding tube and administer her own medications, the police report said.

“Her condition was changing, but she was incredibly intelligent and vibrant, and she was very in tune to what was going on in the world,” Singer said. “She would listen to politics on both sides, and she had high hopes for the Vikings winning the Super Bowl. She would discuss their plays and knew who was being traded.”

Thompson had attended a meeting with family on Oct. 24. Singer told investigators her mother was alert, oriented, involved in the meeting and able to move about.

“I love you and I’ll see you in a couple of days,” Singer and her mother told each other before Singer left.

A housekeeper arrived as the family was leaving. Thompson told the housekeeper she was excited to meet the housekeeper’s children at a Halloween party later that evening. She had decorated her walker for the event — as she always did for holidays — Singer said.

When the housekeeper left in the afternoon, Thompson was standing in the kitchen, the state report said.

“See you later,” Thompson told the housekeeper. The housekeeper was possibly the last person to see Thompson alive, the police report said.

Singer returned on Oct. 26 to find her mother in a reclining chair with the footrest extended, leaning in horizontal position. The shades were not closed, the lights had not been turned on, and the newspaper — dated Oct. 24 — was folded on the left side of Thompson along with a pair of eyeglasses. It was immediately evident to Singer that her mother was dead, the state report said.

“I just knew something was wrong because she never missed her daily newspaper,” Singer said. “There were all kinds of indications that she didn’t die peacefully.”

Thompson’s death appeared to be natural, according to the medical examiner. Her death certificate lists her time of death as 6 p.m. Oct. 26, 2017 — when she was found.

The Hennepin County medical examiner’s office did not conduct an autopsy because Thompson had a terminal illness, the office said. Although there were still some unanswered questions about the death, the office did not categorize it as accidental, suicidal or homicidal, a spokesperson said.

An investigator narrowed down the time of Thompson’s death to between 3 and 7 p.m. Oct. 24, the police report said.

The Commons on Marice functions more as an apartment building with daily check-ins by staff than as a nursing home. Thompson had been living there for more than four years, and received additional hospice care visits twice weekly from Allina Health.

The facility had a daily “I’m OK” program, used to document that each client was checked on daily by a staff member. Once clients were seen or called each day, they received check marks by their names on a client roster kept in the receptionist’s desk.

Commons on Marice could not provide the state with documentation that Thompson had been checked on either Oct. 24 or Oct. 25. She had an “I’m OK” daily check for Oct. 26th, but the state said it was falsely documented because the client was no longer alive.

A senior leader at Commons on Marice told investigators that since the incident, the facility had implemented a new process for the “I’m OK” checks.

“Since this incident, we immediately reviewed our existing policies and procedures and strengthened our process for conducting resident welfare checks,” Salmon said. “The care our residents receive is our top priority.”

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State faults Eagan assisted living facility after resident’s body apparently not discovered for 2 days

Tonight on Marti Oakley's T. S. Radio: Hospice Survivors and Victims with Carly Walken

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

We will be speaking with the executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition and International Chair of the groups working to stop euthanasia and assisted suicide. We welcome Alex Schadenberg to the program tonight.

Across the country groups and organizations are springing up promoting the euthanizing of elderly or terminally ill individuals. Couched in soft sounding language, many of these efforts are focused on prematurely ending the lives of those who are elderly, or whose health is deteriorating. While many of these organizations try to orientate themselves from the aspect of the elder or sick individual having the right to end their own lives, does the truth actually lie in something more sinister? Are we now going to start euthanizing those we have determined to be part of what is now referred to as the human waste population?

How can anyone decide that someone else’s life is not worth living? and….Who will make that decision?

LISTEN to the show live or listen to the archive later

Aging Well: Why do you need a power of attorney?

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If you become incapacitated and can no longer manage your financial affairs, you should have a power of attorney, or POA, so that some other person you trust has the authority to act on your behalf for the many financial transactions necessary to maintain your assets and financial good standing.

However, you should not wait until you become incapacitated to execute a POA, because it may be too late. If you become mentally incapacitated and do not have a POA, the court may appoint a guardian over your affairs.

Your court-appointed guardian may not be the person you would have chosen, especially if there is a dispute among your family members. A guardian has whatever powers the court gives them. This may be very different than the powers you would want them to have.

A POA gives you, the "principal," better control over your future, where you decide who will be your "agent," or the person authorized to act for you in the event of an accident or illness. You define the powers and authority your agent will have. Many of these powers are practical and are concerned with routine financial activities. POAs permit your agent to manage your money and property. The agent can pay bills, make investments and even sell your property if necessary.

A skillfully prepared POA with asset protection authority can protect your family's financial security in the event of your incapacity. It is an extremely important and relatively inexpensive document. However, great consideration needs to be given to who will be granted the powers and under what terms, because it can be the vehicle for inappropriate use of assets by an unlawful agent. Nevertheless, every responsible adult should have a POA.

In January 2015, Pennsylvania updated the POA law (Act 95) which has several significant changes. Act 95 tries to strike a balance, which gives you the ability to give your agent the powers you desire him or her to have but which also helps prevent, detect and prosecute abuse by the agent.

For instance, Act 95 imposes duties to keep the agent's and principal's funds separate, to keep a record of all receipts, disbursements and transactions made on behalf of the principal and to attempt to preserve the principal's estate plan. However, if you do not want these duties imposed on your agent, they may be waived or released by the principal in the POA document.

The principal signs a notice form that contains state-mandated information about the significance of the POA. The updated language in the notice warns the principal that a grant of broad authority may allow the agent to give away the principal's property while the principal is alive or change how the principal's property is distributed at death.

The agent signs an acknowledgment form accepting the duties that go with acting as an agent and agreeing to act in conformity with the principal's expectations, in good faith and only within the scope of the authority granted in the document. The agent acknowledgement must be in conformity with Act 95's new language. An agent has no authority to act until he or she has signed this acknowledgment and it is affixed to the POA document.

Before Act 95, there was no requirement that a POA be notarized or even witnessed. Beginning with documents signed on or after Jan. 1, 2015, a POA must be notarized and have two qualified witnesses, which means that they are above the age of 18 and cannot be the notary or the agent. This permits the POA to be recorded if desired.

The law also attempts to reduce the potential for financial abuse by prohibiting your agent from taking certain actions unless they are specially authorized in your POA. These "hot powers" include actions that have the potential to dissipate your property or change your estate plan, such as making a gift on your behalf or changing a beneficiary designation on an insurance policy or IRA. If you want your agent to have any of these powers, the authority must be set out in your POA document. Many of these powers are practical to have as we age and are concerned about sheltering our assets from long-term care costs.

A POA is useful only if it will be accepted by the financial institution or other third party to whom it is delivered. So the law includes provisions that can penalize a third party for refusing to accept your POA as well as to protect you from abuse by permitting those third parties to question a POA when they have a suspicion that something is amiss or your agent is acting beyond the granted powers.

If the agent has fully complied with the requirements of the law, a third party that refuses to comply with the proper instructions of the agent is subject to liability for financial harm caused to the principal by the refusal and to a court-order a mandated acceptance of the POA.

Act 95 does not require that you get a new POA, but it makes sense to have your current document reviewed by a lawyer who is familiar with the new law. Legally, pre-2015 POAs remain valid.

Practically, your old POA may not be the best document for you or your agent. You may want to update your POA so that it will more likely accepted by your bank and other financial institutions without questions.

POAs can vary in terms of scope and complexity. Some financial powers of attorney are very simple and may not contain the necessary powers to achieve desired results. If you have not recently updated your power of attorney, now may be a good time to visit your elder law attorney for a review.

Sean D. Curran, Curran Estate Law, focuses his practice, 222 N. Kenhorst Blvd., exclusively on estate and elder law, at www.curraneelaw.com.

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Aging Well: Why do you need a power of attorney?

Here's what's happening at the state Capitol this week

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Minnesota lawmakers return from their spring break Monday with plenty of work to do in the remaining six weeks of the 2018 legislative session.

This week's agenda includes a House committee hearing on issues related to the troubled licensing system known as MNLARS ((Minnesota Licensing and Registration System)). It was prompted, in part, by last week's MPR News story about an investigation into the fired state worker who headed up the troubled project.

Two House committees, transportation and state government, have a joint hearing scheduled Tuesday. Lawmakers have questions about the investigation and report that they learned about last week.

The report, completed in February, provides extensive detail about the problems that started when MNLARS went online last summer and some of the key missteps that led to those problems.

The investigation was focused on Paul Meekin, and the report criticizes him for not addressing known defects prior to the system launch. But lawmakers want to know who else was involved and whether other personnel changes have been made.

House Transportation Chair Paul Torkelson, R-Hanska, said he also wants to know more about the Department of Public Safety spending on a call center related to MNLARS complaints. He and other Republicans left that project out of the $10 million funding measure they passed last month. He said lawmaker want an update Tuesday on how that $10 million is being spent. There are also questions about some office remodeling at Minnesota IT Services.

Legislation related to elder abuse is also on the agenda this week.

The House Health and Human Services Finance committee takes up one of the bills Wednesday. Rep. Deb Kiel, R-Crookston, is proposing a package of changes, including tighter regulations for care providers and improvements to the reporting and investigation of abuse allegations.

Gov. Mark Dayton has his own proposal that he rolled out last month. The governor's plan will be heard by the Senate Human Services Reform committee Monday afternoon.

The Senate Education Finance committee takes up some proposals Monday related to school safety. There are several bills this session aimed at helping school district make security improvements to buildings. There is bipartisan support for doing something this session, but there are differing approaches to the funding.

Taxes remain the biggest challenge left of the session. Lawmakers want to get the state tax code lined up better with all the recent federal changes.

Dayton put out his plan for helping middle-income taxpayers. But he did not provide the same help to businesses, which is a priority for Republicans. Dayton is also pushing to repeal some of the changes made in last year's tax bill, including cuts for tobacco, business property and estates. Republicans oppose those changes.

Full Article & Source:
Here's what's happening at the state Capitol this week

Minnesota elder care reform advocates turn up heat on legislators

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Kay Bromelkamp and Anne Sterner
Frustrated by what they see as legislative foot-dragging, family members of abuse victims are intensifying their push for new laws to protect tens of thousands of vulnerable adults who live in senior care facilities across the state.

A grass roots coalition of abuse victims and their relatives, Elder Voice Family Advocates, descended on the State Capitol early Monday and distributed 1,850 summaries of maltreatment reports — including descriptions of beatings, sexual assaults and thefts — to legislators ahead of key hearings this week. The reports represent just a small fraction of the more than 20,000 allegations of maltreatment received by the Minnesota Department of Health each year from individuals and facilities across the state.

The family members said they are trying to combat the perception that abuse occurs only in a minority of senior homes, and want to show through government documents that dangerous incidents are widespread in every legislative district in the state.

The legislative action Monday was the culmination of weeks of data-gathering by the growing army of volunteers at Elder Voice. It's a grass-roots group that has bolted from obscurity over the past year to play a pivotal role in state efforts to reform Minnesota's troubled system for responding to violent crimes and other forms of abuse in senior homes.

Wearing their signature orange clothing, two dozen Elder Voice members fanned out across the Capitol buildings in St. Paul with heavy cardboard boxes filled with maltreatment reports, which they handed out to 150 legislators. The process of reading, sorting and mapping the reports by legislative district took hundreds of volunteer hours, and the printing costs nearly depleted Elder Voice's modest budget.

The project was also an emotional one for Elder Voice's mostly women volunteers, who all have parents or other loved ones who were mistreated in senior facilities. 

"The [senior care] industry keeps saying this is rare," Anne Sterner, an Elder Voice member, said as she handed a pile of reports to state Sen. Tony Lourey, DFL-Kerrick. "It's not rare. It's systemic. And legislators need to take action on a global scale."

In recent weeks, senior advocacy groups such as Elder Voice and Minnesota AARP have grown increasingly concerned that elder care reform efforts are being weakened or delayed by the powerful nursing home lobby, and by incremental proposals that improve consumer protections but leave the existing regulatory system largely intact.

Elder Voice was part of a coalition of senior advocacy groups charged last November by Gov. Mark Dayton to come up with recommendations to improve the safety and care of the state's nearly 2,000 senior homes. Early this year, after weeks of meetings, they produced an ambitious blueprint of reforms. The 58-page report called for a new licensing system for the state's lightly regulated assisted-living industry, greater protections against arbitrary evictions from senior facilities, more stringent criminal sanctions against abusers, and a "private right of action" for lawsuits when vulnerable seniors are abused, among other reforms.

Within weeks, Dayton hailed the report and DFL lawmakers have introduced far-reaching legislation that contain many of its key recommendations, including a plan to require Minnesota's roughly 1,200 assisted-living facilities to be licensed by 2020. Because assisted-living facilities are currently not licensed, they are not subject to regular inspections and their residents do not have the same level of consumer protections as those who live in state-licensed nursing homes, according to an exhaustive report released last month by the state Legislative Auditor.

Despite bipartisan support, the legislation supported by elder care advocates missed the committee deadlines required to advance.

Meanwhile, lawmakers continue to debate more modest proposals that would help protect seniors but would leave the regulatory system in place. A bill being supported by state Senate Republicans, for instance, would strengthen the state's enforcement powers and lift the layers of secrecy that often surround investigations of maltreatment. Yet the proposal stops short of licensing assisted living, and instead would establish a 16-member task force to review state oversight of these facilities.

Kristine Sundberg, president of Elder Voice, said relatives of abuse victims had their expectations raised by talk of systemic reforms, and are growing frustrated by the political process and what they see as legislators' indifference to the surge of elder abuse reports. In 2016, the state Health Department received 25,226 allegations of abuse and neglect in senior care facilities, a sevenfold increase since 2010. Yet only 3 percent of the allegations were investigated by state inspectors on site, according to a Star Tribune investigation.

For now, members of Elder Voice have vowed to persist with their campaign by taking their message directly to lawmakers and pushing to strengthen the bills that remain.

"We don't need more task forces and work groups. That's a delaying tactic," said Sundberg, as she walked through the Capitol with an armful of documents. "When we talk to families of abuse victims ... it's perplexing to them why lawmakers cannot take something seriously that is literally a life and death issue."

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Minnesota elder care reform advocates turn up heat on legislators

How to make sure your estate is in good hands if you’re incapacitated

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WASHINGTON — Getting older is a certainty in life, but proper planning can ensure that your estate is in good hands as you age and the right person is leading decisions about your care, said Attorney Mike Collins with the Collins Firm.

Incapacity planning is extremely important, and a vital part of the estate planning process, Collins said. Without an incapacity plan in place, a judge can appoint someone to take control of an incapacitated person’s estate and make medical and decisions on their behalf, he added. In some cases, “the court may appoint a total stranger … if you don’t have a guardian,” he said.

That’s why it’s important to choose your own decision maker in advance, Collins said.

“If you’re incapacitated and legally unable to make decisions — whether they be for your health care or financial circumstances or what kind of care you’re going to receive — all those decisions are going to be made by someone other than yourself,” Collins said.

So Collins recommends a few steps, starting with identifying someone you want to make decisions on your behalf. This is a person who can make legal, financial, business and health care decisions if you’re not able.

A tool in the process will include an advanced medical directive — a legal document that specifies what actions should be taken should you become incapacitated. The person whom you’ve identified to make your decisions will follow these rules, and serve as a point person regarding decisions should you become incapacitated.

Another tool to consider is the durable power of attorney, which means you can appoint an agent to make legal decisions on your behalf if you’re incapacitated. Collins recommends naming someone who has authority to manage business and financial affairs.

“You want to empower someone to act on your behalf,” Collins said. “You have to be careful about the power of attorney though because you’re giving someone a lot of authority, so you want to make sure you pick someone you trust to do this.”

Full Article & Source:
How to make sure your estate is in good hands if you’re incapacitated
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