Guardianships

Earlier I introduced you to Resident Essentials; today we look at Buck and Buck:

Elderly clothing is a line of clothing that is both age appropriate, easy to wear and easy to care for. As we age, it becomes more difficult to move, stretch, bend and twist, making the process of dressing a bit of a challenge at times. Buck and Buck realizes this, and our business is to make clothing for seniors look good, feel good, and most of all, to make clothing that helps keep the wearer as independent as possible for as long as possible. Loss of independence in the daily task of dressing can be very difficult for aging mothers and fathers, so we place their dignity in the forefront of our designs. 

We select fabrics that are comfortable for the elderly to wear with patterns, designs and colors that are appropriate. We choose fabrics that are easy to launder and wear without the need for ironing. Our elderly clothing fits well to the body with waistbands, cuffs and necklines that are comfortable. We use zipper pulls, snaps and buttons that are easy to grasp. Many styles of our elderly clothing have VELCRO® brand closures that will not challenge the individual who has arthritis or weakness in a limb from a stroke. When the elderly need the assistance of a caregiver to get dressed, we have many options of open back and side zip clothing to choose from.

http://www.buckandbuck.com/

"When Pamela Glasner's mother died, she and her brother contacted the nursing home to transfer power of attorney for their father to themselves. That's when they learned that their father had signed everything over to a man they did not know.

The person had presented their father a paper in the nursing home and said, "sign here." It was considered legal, and even after her father's death, Glasner is living with the consequences."

http://burke.patch.com/articles/cuccinelli-fraud-and-elder-abuse-major-problems

It's good to see AG Cuccinelli take this crime seriously!

Protect Yourself

"A simple rule of thumb is this: If you receive a call asking for personal information or money, never give it. Just hang up," said Cuccinelli. "Only when you initiate the call should you ever consider giving out personal information."

"We have investigated 17,000 complaints of elder abuse in the last full year for which I have data," he said. "We are overwhelmed with concerns, and you can help us spot them," he said.

Persons can contact TRIAD -- "the cooperative effort of law enforcement agencies (police, fire, sheriffs), senior citizens, and senior organizations, focused on reducing crimes against ... seniors."

Speak Up

Many crimes against the elderly go unreported. According to the film Last Will and Embezzlement, this is due to several reasons:

• The victim is embarrassed.
• The victim feels responsible.
• The victim fears retaliation.
• The victim fears losing their freedom.
• The victim fears losing contact with this person, who may be the only "family" they have.
• The victim does not even know they are being defrauded.

"These crimes can happen to anyone anywhere," said Glasner. "It is important that everyone speak up."

There is no ‘miracle cure’ just around the corner for dementia. And yet while the number of people suffering from dementia is increasing rapidly, there is a widespread lack of understanding about what people with dementia are capable of doing. This report concludes that we need to do more as a society to enable people to live well with dementia. Currently, they are not getting the support and respect that they need.  This report presents an ethical framework to help those who face dilemmas in connection with the everyday care of someone with dementia. The framework forms the basis for a number of recommendations to policy makers in the following areas:  promoting autonomy and well-being through an ethical approach to dementia care; including people with dementia in society; aking decisions about the care and treatment of people with dementia; dealing with day-to-day ethical dilemmas in care; recognising the needs of carers; and research funding and participation.

Source:  Nuffield Council on Bioethics (1 October 2009)
Cite: http://www.nuffieldbioethics.org/go/ourwork/dementia/publication_530.html