Clara Update & Another Case of Elder Financial Abuse - Right Under Our Noses

- Update on Clara G. Fernandez a victim of elder abuse March 7, 2007 10pm E.S.T. -

Clara is now at the 'Convalescent Center' where she is still recovering with the support of her family. Clara continues asking when she can come home. According to the nurses and doctors Clara will able to realize her wishes and be able to come home soon.

Clara who has been diagnosed with 'Post Stress Syndrome' and has been traumatized by her experience with Elder Abuse, on March 5, 2007 an M.R.I. scan she was to recieve at the hospital, had to be rescheduled to when her care-givers would be present, because she refused to take off her jewelry as required for the test, she also has a hard time taking medicine from male nurses, maybe, and understandably so because she was overdosed with sedatives before.

Clara at times talks of being upset and but we avoid talking about the past, she often thinks her deceased husband Dr. A. J. Fernandez is at home waiting for her.

My wife, Judy and I go to the 'Convalescent Center' at least twice a day, and we have gotten to know many of the people there, it especially breaks my heart when I met another family whose elder relative, that is clearly infirmed, was financially abused and they are afraid that the once financially independent elder will wind up destitute and dependent on Government Services now that assets have been transferred out of the infirm elders name.

They have not received any help from the local authorities, and are afraid to go the 'legal route' because they don't have thousands of dollars to spend on legal bills.. and the person that has taken over the estate, a distant relative from out of town, who controls the elders substantial assets , may now have the financial power to make their lives impossible and is quite intimidating to the family.

It is a sad state of affairs for our elders, our state, and our country when a ' legal ransom' of considerable amount must be borne by the families of elders that have been abused in order to get justice, and to have assets returned to the elders who spent a lifetime saving for their old age and will probably need every dollar to live out their lives, only to have their nest egg taken away from them, just because no one is watching or just because they can.

"About 95 percent of the cases Dimitrov sees involve family members who illegally use power of attorney and quitclaim deeds to plunder the assets of vulnerable elderly relatives, she said. The formerly financially secure victims are often left penniless and reliant on state-provided services, she said." Sara Flohr - Trust Officer.

Elder Abuse Warning Signs

• Power of Attorney given or recent changes of will when the person is incapable of making such decision.


• Abrupt changes in Real Estate Deeds or other Financial Documents.


• Sudden appearance of previously uninvolved relatives claiming their rights to an elders affairs and possessions.