Elder fraud in Elder Care Facilities

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Okay here is the contact ling=k to find your senetor by zipcode and state I say lets everyone send this info to their senetor and congressman. Are we together ??? THAN LETS GETURFUN!!!

Jander who is your senator in Arizonia?

Great advice about going to your Congress people over this issue. This is happening to far too many people. I'm appalled at the lack of training and low standards in so many facilities in many areas of the country, where in others things are relatively (I say relatively) good.

Also, people can contact AARP, as they have a lot of money and clout. They have represntatives in every state working for better conditions in elder care.

Keep shouting it out, as these standards must change.

Carol

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I am attaching a link you should be aware of, the treatment of the elderly in nursing homes and assisted living we are not far behind them They should have as much care as we expect pay attention to the posts from Jander from AZ Is there something that we as care givers can do to be heard. Thank you and I realy hope you take this seriously. There are so many of us dealing with similar situations. Thank you Cheryl Hicks I am sending this to the white house and later the senate

Carol,

This is why we need a national advocacy group. Laws and care differ from state to state and care differs greatly from resident to resident depending on personality, location, care giver training, and the actual residents disabilities. It is very difficult to find dementia care in a skilled nursing facility. Skilled nursing is not tranined in dementia care, and dementia units do not know how to transfer and care for someone who is alert and needs physical assistance. There is much work that needs to be done to improve the quality of care for our parents and for us. I have interviewed attorneys, direcors of nursing, those involved in home care and APS personnel. I get the same message from all. Leave me alone when I become disabled, I will take care of it myself. No one who has worked in a nursing environment wants to be at the mercy of someone they have worked with.

What can we do as a community to stop the fruad, the embezzlement and the ultimate social and economic ruin that has happened to me? I do beleive if there were public awareness, there would be public outcry and this outrageous behavior could be stopped. If it happened to me, it is happening to others. I believe the others simply give up and leave their familiy member to die.

This situation has almost killed me. It has resulted in my total financial collapse. I live day to day, wondering how much longer I can manage to hold on. I have prayed for death for both me and for Dad, yet I have my grandson to raise. He deserves better. What can others in my same situation do, except turn away, for their own survival. I must believe that unity will create change, and that our elders will be treated with the same respect and dignity that we expect for ourselves.

Jander,
I'm glad you are so strong because elder care needs people like you. In my area, the nursing homes (most) have Alzheimer's units and all the staff members are trained in Alzheimer's care. It makes a huge difference where you live. A friend of mine is active in the Pioneer Network, and we were discussing this by phone the other day. We live in very different parts of the country and our nursing home and even assisted living experiences are totally different.

As to putting your money in his account, I learned that the hard way, too, only for my son and his health problems. My putting money in his account to pay his bills kept him from being able to get some help.

You are one determined and admirable person working against a very bad system. Please keep us posted on your progress.
We all need to be vigilant, but you seem to be in an area of actual corruption in elder care. You rock!
Carol

Carol,
I have engaged both APS and the state ombudsman. I paid additional fees for everything, with an additional cost of $65.00 per bath, 4 times per week, which were never given. I visit about every other day,which is how I know teeth aren't brushed, baths are not given, and the posted menu is not followed. I check Dad's book and see that they have marked that they performed personal grooming, when I am there and it has not been done. I also chart every visit, with times, care givers, and issues. I have documentation since the day I first returned to CA to see Dad. Skilled nursing homes are not trained in Dementia care. The nurse read Dad's court orders to him informing him that his daughter had him deemed incompetent. I was placed on 48 hour watch after she told Dad and he stated he did not want to see me again. (It's all documented) The administrator at the skilled nursing facility also told me there was no difference in a POA and a legal court ordered guardianship, and that Dad could decided if he wanted to take his medication, and if he wanted a shower. It was the DON at the skilled nursing facility that told me care plans were for state purposes and that they did not follow them. This was at a cost of over $8,000 per year. After one year, I took him out and the care and the staff became more devious, less caring, and I continue to "pay" an additional fee for teeth brushing, shaving, showering, (I wash his clothes) and continue to perform personal care duties on my visits. I have spent over $650,000.00 in four and one half years. One would think that would cover the basics. I pick up nursing notes every week, and again when Dad has been discharged. The reports have been changed. Documents are actually changed, and notes added, without stating they were added at a later time. This is a problem which needs public awareness. I have been a toy at the hands of unscrupulous care givers and staff administrators. They have been deceiving the public a lot longer than I have been trying to find adequate care. This should not happen to anyone who is trying to get their parents needs met. I have mortgaged my personal home to ge the funds to pay for Dad's care after being told he could not qualify for long term care, which was untrue. Placing my money in Dad's account only stopped him from getting the money to pay for care. I am left over $200,000 in debt due to the fraud, the games and the deceit. APS told me they have been getting away with this behavior a lot longer than I have been trying to get good care, and the facilities know all the tricks. Facilities, attorneys, and care givers need to be held accountable for their actions. After almost five years, I've learned the games they play. The cost is high and the end result is loss of person, loss of stability and loss of trus, and it is an ugly game. I was told by the ombudsman, that I simply know too much. When these facilities hire untrained workers from college campuses, and from road signs, place them in a charge of a situation with vulnerable seniors after only 6 hours of on the job training, the public should be outraged. This will be us tomorrow and our children whos assets will be squandered, if we do not stand up against this travisty today.

I am so sorry you have gone through this! Your father's size my be a contributing factor to the lack of care - sometimes caretakers refuse to risk injury to themselves with larger patients - but everyone deserves better!

I'm not sure where you are that the fees are so high, in South Carolina 2 to 5 thousand a month is the range in general, but some places ask deposits of up to 50k, partially refundable within 3-5 years.

You may want to consider hiring an in home caretaker, veterans benefits and medicare may assist with that, and sometimes you can find a male orderly-care assistant to help with lifting and movement. I have also had success with a hospital bed in-home that can aid your father getting into a wheel chair, etc.

Finally, keeping your loved one near you does bring pressure upon the care facility to do the best they can because you will check, and take pictures to document! I also chose a small facility with memory care with a high staff/patient ratio 1:4.

Assisted living facilities are far less regulated than nursing homes. Most don't provide "custodial care," medication, teeth brushing etc. without extra pay. Often, you have to hire an in-home care agency to come in a provide these services. However, what they do and don't provide should be in writing, and they should follow through on what they say they provide. This home sounds like it should be, at least, reported to the Better Business Bureau.

Nursing homes, on the other hand, should provide all of the things you mentioned. If they are not doing this, they are remiss. They are more closely regulated, and if the administration doesn’t respond to complaints, then your state ombudsman should be called in. This person can be found on your state Web site under aging services.

The care my elders got in a local nursing home was very good however we have above average (not perfect) homes in my area. Also, I lived two blocks away and could visit nearly every day. That never hurts. They are nearly all understaffed, and when there is lots of contact between family and staff, I believe the care will go up a notch. It's human behavior.

This is a very sad tale, indeed. I hope a better home can be found. It sounds like a nursing home is needed rather than assisted living.


Carol

very well put ezecare

That is so awful. I'm so sorry this happened to you. That is such a terrible thing to happen but also no one is taking your complaint seriously! This is a serious problem that must be addressed but if no one (in charge) is listening, then what do you do? Such a frustrating problem.

I really hope you are able to figure it out soon.

Best,
Jackie

Jander and Neonwocky,
I have never experienced the emotional pain that both of you have so I should not advise you on any particular path to take. What I can share from my own experience is that a caregiver cannot be the weakest link in the care chain. If you break--whose gonna fix you? So take care of your own needs first. That includes financial, emotional, and physical. The Book says we should love others as we love ourselves. If we can't love ourselves, how can we love others?

You are not alone I brought my parents from another state as the other siblings could care less. I support my mother before that I tok care of my father who broke his hip had to have it put back in place twice finally had the hip opened and a guard put on it got MRSA had to give him IV's everymorning before work and run on my lunch hou and after work to take care of his as my mother is useless, than he had a stroke more caregiving than he died, I planned his funeral called the siblings paid for the funeral an=d everyones flowers yet noreimbursement, you would be surprised how little one person can live on. befoe that it was my mother in law with alzheimers, diabeties conjestive heart failure and a 16 year old boy before that it was my father inlaw with caner his body riddled with it. I know how capable I am I have lived in the winter without heat with out food without comforts without water just to make sure the elderly have what they need my mothers sxss wouldn't fit i a thimble as my parents were too lazy to work they didn't prvide for themselves or their children thats why the other siblings could care less. But we are all individuals and if you want to do something bad enough you will asnd I am no different than anyone else, I haven't had a vacation in 7 years not even a week end soooo there are lots of needs and wants just have to choose which is the most important.

Unfortunately, there is a house payment to make, bills to pay and groceries to buy. Dad can not be left alone for even 15 minutes. He has to be toileted, transferred, bathed, dressed, and meals prepared. I've tried bring him home to live with me three times now and have had to remortgage my home to pay the bills. I am now stuck with over $200K in a mortgage. There is no way I can work and have Dad in my home. Dad only gets $650 a month from social security. His estate was embezzled by the second wife. If I lose my home, which is currently in foreclosure from all this fraud, neither me or Dad will have a place to sleep. His monthly income does not start to cover the house hold expenses, and I have already spent my life savings and mortgaged my home to cover his expenses. This has now created a financial crises. I must work to try to dig out of this financial hole I am now in. I have no source of income other than my real estate business, and that is a 7 day a week job. I am not married, so I do not have any other source of income. I also sold my rental properties to cover his expenses. Four years is a long time to try to live without working regularly.

Well I guess you have done all you can. My mother lives with me and it is exhaustive as well as frustrating, a financial burden as she has nothing and I just do the best I can and trust in God I guess that is all we can do perhaps you need to bing your Dad home and be his caregiver. Seems that is the only alternative you have at this point. Prayers yes we pray for everyone everyday the Lord hears the prayers of the righteous. Good luck with your batttle.

I have exhausted all my financial, emotional and spiritual resources. There is nothing left financially, emotionally or physically. My eyes have been opened and it is not a pretty site. I have written both Oprah and Dr Phil in an attempt to make this plight of the elderly public knowledge. I do not know where to turn. Dad is in group home now and get's the basics, if I am there to monitor. I am finding this is a personal integrity issue, and there is no way to make someone care about someone else. The owners lived in the home Dad is currently in until just about a month ago, when they moved out and hired care givers to take over. This is the most exhausting, depleting situation I have ever personally experienced. The care givers lie about care and the administration covers their lies so they won't be sued. There is absolutely nothing a consumer can do to protect themselves or their family member from the fraud and mistreatment in the homes. Please pray for me and my Dad. We are both ready to quit and need your prayers. I feel like I have been thrown in the pits of hell.

Well, there has to be some avenue wher you can get thru It seems like you tried everything and I can't believe that there isn't someone that will step up to the plate if you can't get any thing accomplished. After all we will have to be in there facilities someday to I agree with the previous statement there is more than one resident there perhaps you should make it a point to talk to other residents families and ban together.

Good gawd. This is horrible. As one day my mother may have to be in nursing home, this story is really an eye opener. YIKES! Good luck. Perhaps there is a TV reporter like our "on Your Side" that smashes through things like this. This sounds like TV expose time. Yours is not the only senior in that facility. And the thing is there is a notion that once someone is in a nursing home, all their basics are taken care of..and you'd only complain that they didn't get enough social interaction or that clothing got stolen by a wandering resident.

I have, and when I then have a meeting with administration, the care giver either has to deny all allegations or lose her job. The good care givers have called me at home to inform me of incidents and of neglect. Problem is there is nothing that can be done without threatening the jobs of the good ones. It's really a catch 22.

Take pictures and keep notes. Find a caregiver you like and make her your anonymous source, to feed you information while you're not there. If she cares enough, she'll give it to you. Use it.

Absolutely, but there are very few regulations regarding elder abuse and/or neglect and it must be proved. Which is next to impossible if the elder does not remember and the facility/ care givers are dishonest about the events.

In most states, isn't elder NEGLECT considered a form of elder ABUSE?

I thought of them yesterday, since I know the group homes are a member. I am going to call to see who is a member and how to file a complaint. I also posted a review on the google search when I researched the facility.

I did check out your website, however, the firm does not practice in AZ. A legal battle is tough unless you have broken bones, death or a tangible form of bodily injury. Fraud for not performing personal care is not considered a legal issue. I always step in prior to death, ie: congestive heart failure, after the nurse refused to call the doctor when Dad's ankle had swelled to the size of his thigh, which resulted in another Hospice round and 7 days of hospitalization, and resulted in congestive heart failure.

Have you tried BBB? I highly recommend it they have helpd me in the past. and I might add quickly

I am personally acquainted with the Ombudsmen in Az as well as the APS agency. I am told "You know too much". Again nothing can be done, unless the facility is willing to cooperate. I was just told by the ombudsman that she can not "force" a facility to return my refundable deposit. She uses her persuassion, but has no real power. Short of a law suit, which for me right now is not financially feasible, these perpetrators go unpunished. Believe me I have tried all avenues. including private legal counsel, to a tune of $250K. Nothing has been done. We need advocates who are willing to take the abuse public.

I'd like to think that the entire world of eldercare is not comprised of scam artists. Having said that, I've run into more "scoundrels" than I care to admit. There are still some people out there who care . The key is to do your homework in advance. The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services provides a lot of good information, including rankings of nursing homes according to pre-determined criteria. Also, every county (sometimes a group of counties, if they're small) has its own Area Agency on Aging (AAA), which agencies are funded by the State in which they are located. Each AAA employs an Ombudsman, whose sole responsibility is to respond to and investigate complaints about the care of older adults, whether in a nursing home, an assisted living facility, or at home. If you have ANY indication that elder abuse or neglect is occurring, you must report it to your Area Agency on Aging. Finally, if all else fails, try contacting your state's Department of Aging or Department of Public Health. Hopefully this helps.

can you have a little camera installed?

I have called Adult Protective Services many, many times. The problem is that they can not prove allegations agaisnt the facilities. They speak to the resident (lelder) who is usually not consistant, and does not remember, then they check out the documentation from the facilites. They know what is going on, but can not get enough evidence to prosecute. i provided my daily log of incidents to the Health Department, and they told me they would not take the time to read it. Until the senior is credible these perpetrators go unpunished. We need an advocacy group that can be there when the abuse is taking place, that will substantiate the families story. It is my experience, that the facility discounts the family member, makes personal accussions against them and then changes documentation to cover their assets. It's a dirty business. Since I am the only visitor, family member, friend, etc, I have no back up. it's my word against theirs. There's much to be done! When you can't remember correctly, you are a prime target for abuse and neglect.

this one is specifically for reporting facilities

What are the warning signs of elder abuse? Where to Report Nursing Home abuse? Is it a Crime? What is Adult Protective Services? How does the APS System Work?

www.ncea.aoa.gov ·