Cost-Cutting; Report Reveals Elderly ‘time bomb’ (Scotland, UK)
Cost-Cutting; Report Reveals Elderly ‘time bomb’ (Scotland, UK)
Cost-cutting planned as council report reveals elderly ‘time bomb’
25 June 2009
By Andrew Keddie
A report signed off by Scottish Borders Council social work director Andrew Lowe reveals that, in just 11 years time, the number of residents aged over 65 will rise by 40 per cent, while over the same period those aged 85 and over will rocket by 57 per cent.
And, at 2007/08 prices, the extra cost to cash-strapped SBC and NHS Borders will be £8.2million a year – up 39 per cent on the two organisations’ current expenditure on old people.
And, at 2007/08 prices, the extra cost to cash-strapped SBC and NHS Borders will be £8.2million a year – up 39 per cent on the two organisations’ current expenditure on old people.
The most controversial of the pair is to increase the share of home care delivered by private providers from 30 per cent to 50 per cent or 5,000 hours a week.
At today’s SBC meeting, Mr Lowe seeks approval to put four other key elements of the review out to public consultation.
These include introducing a so-called telecare service to allow the frail elderly to remain in their own homes rather than ‘blocking’ beds in hospitals and care homes. When piloted last year, it was discovered the sophisticated system, which uses monitoring and measuring devices to remotely alert clinicians to changes in a patient’s condition, rendered 181 sleepovers by carers and 457 home checks unnecessary.
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search Right Col/Labels for More Posts/Resources
Source: feedproxy.google.com
Assisted Living Facility Residents Can Lose Their Homes if Their Facility Stops Participating in Medicaid
Fredrick P. Niemann, Esq., NJ Medicaid Application Attorney Most people want to avoid nursing home care. Many people believe that assisted living provides them with something better: choice, control, independence, and safety in a “non-institutional, community-based setting.” What is not widely known is that the protections for nursing home residents provided by the federal Nursing Home […]
Source: hnlawfirm.com
State’s Democrats Seek Protection for Seniors (MI. USA)
State’s Democrats seek protection for seniors
By BARRETT NEWKIRK
THE ENQUIRER
JUNE 30, 2009
Democrats in the Michigan House of Representatives are pushing a plan to strengthen the state’s elder abuse laws.
The package of bills, dubbed the Elder Abuse Protection Plan, would increase penalties for people convicted of cheating senior citizens and increase consumer protections. Rep. Kate Segal, D-Battle Creek, is sponsoring one of the plan’s bills.
The legislation comes after some high-profile abuse cases made headlines around the state, including two Flint brothers charged with abuse this month after allegedly selling their grandfather’s prescription painkillers. Reports of elder abuse in Michigan have increased 40 percent since 1998, according to the Michigan Department of Human Services.
“What is happening in this state, it is unthinkable and unspeakable,” Segal said during a press conference Monday.
Segal’s bill would require legal guardians to report the cash and cash-convertible assets of an incapacitated person to the court.
Other bills in the plan would require employees of nursing homes and financial institutions to report suspected cases of elder abuse, make it a felony to obtain a signature through fraud or deceit, and prohibit someone charged with felony abuse to win an inheritance from the victim’s estate.
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search Right Col/Labels for More Posts/Resources
Source: feedproxy.google.com
Police Need Help Finding a Woman Accused of Elder Abuse (CA. USA)
Bakersfield police need help finding a woman accused of elder abuse
6/24 /2009
Bakersfield Police need help finding a woman accused of victimizing an elderly person.
Police say the suspect stole property, and money from the victim’s northeast Bakersfield home.
The suspect is 24-year-old Lauren Ruth Vance, the incident she’s wanted for stems from a burglary in April where authorities say Vance was familiar with the elderly victim, and cased the home prior to burglarizing it. “The elderly are more vulnerable, they come from a time period where they want to trust people.” said Detective Mary DeGeare with the Bakersfield Police Department.
It’s that trust police say may have been violated Vance allegedly broke into a home in April, stealing money, and property from an elderly resident.
“She knew them, she was familiar with their habits, with their assets, and waited until they were not home, and planned and participated in the burglary.” said DeGeare.
Police say Vance is wanted for residential burglary, grand theft and financial elder abuse.
“Financial abuse to an elder is financial suicide.” said Sandy Morris, with the BPD’s crime prevention unit.
Morris say in these types of situations, where the suspect knows the victim, then takes advantage of them, it can be especially damaging.
“If you and I get taken advantage of, we buy something that’s bogus and we have to recoup the money, we can go to work tomorrow and make it back.” said Morris.
“But a senior has no way of doing that.”
That’s why Morris says it’s important to keep a watchful eye on your elderly residents.
If you have any information on this case, or know the whereabouts of Lauren Vance.
You are asked to call police at 327-7111.
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search Right Col/Labels for More Posts/Resources
Source: feedproxy.google.com
