The Many Faces of Elder Abuse

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In penning today’s piece on the ugly reality of elder abuse, I recalled an unsettling article I read a few months ago. You are likely familiar with New York socialite and philanthropist Brooke Astor, now 104, or for you later crop of baby boomers, her son, Anthony Marshall. Marshall currently controls Astor’s $45 million fortune, siphoning off $2.3 million each year for his role as “caregiver.” Ironically, Mrs. Astor wears torn nightgowns, dines on mashed peas and oatmeal and sleeps on a urine-soaked sofa. Her grandson, Philip Marshall, alleges that his father, Anthony Marshall, has neglected her care and spent some of Mrs. Astor’s money on his own business ventures. The senior Marshall won’t even throw down for a hospital bed for his mother, who has repeatedly fallen out of bed, or in her case, the sofa. Mrs. Astor is a very public example of the oft-concealed problem of elder abuse. Financial exploitation is but one form of elder abuse, which happens at all social and economic levels. According to the best available estimates, between 1 and 2 million Americans age 65 or older have been injured, exploited or otherwise mistreated by someone on whom they depend for care and protection. Elder abuse manifests itself in many ways, including:

• Physical abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Emotional or psychological abuse
• Neglect
• Self-neglect
• Abandonment
• Financial or material exploitation

Financial abuse, as in Mrs. Astor’s case, takes on many forms, including taking property or money, forging a senior’s signature and getting a senior to sign a deed or a will through coercion or deception. The New York State Bar Association’s Elder Law Section (NYSBA) provides tips to help seniors protect their finances. "If you feel you're being abused, tell close friends you're concerned and don't be afraid to go to a lawyer," says Les Kotzer, an attorney and author of "The Family Fight-Planning to Avoid It."

How can we protect our elders and ourselves? Report it! If you or a loved one is the victim of elder abuse, contact Adult Protective Services (APS) by calling your state’s elder abuse hotline. If you suspect abuse in a nursing home, call your long-term care ombudsmen. If it’s an emergency, call the police.

To your continued health and safety...Ami Icanberry

Posted in: Avoiding Fraud & Abuse, Elder Abuse

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