"I Will Never Take Responsibility for an Elderly Person whether Family or not. The Risks Are Just Too High."

A woman convicted of elder abuse is headed for jail.
Story by Doug Fritz

FAYETTEVILLE -- Jewell Parsons was sentenced Tuesday by Judge John Hatcher in Fayette County on elder abuse charges.

Parsons will serve 7 to seven years in prison and will pay a $1,000 fine.

Last month, she was found guilty on charges of intentional neglect, misappropriation or misuse of funds of an elderly person and embezzlement.

Those charges stem from the death inn 2005 of a 68-year-old woman Parsons was caring for.

The Fayette County prosecutor said Hatcher spoke for 45 minutes during the sentencing.

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Anonymous said...

In some cases... this is a media frenzy that doesn't relate the truth at all.

Mrs. Parsons was convicted of crimes that she did not commit. When your entire family and the family of the victim stand up and say that the victim was a recluse who refused treatment, hated doctors and just wanted to be left alone, how can you be held responsible?

I read the transcripts and it appears that Mrs. Parsons had no legal guardianship over Naomi King and couldn't make her do ANYTHING to include see a doctor.

I also read statements by Ms. Kings family saying that Ms. King had always been a dirty person, who refused to bathe herself or clean up after herself but that she was happy. It appears to me that a case like this should be labeled as what it is... a sad and tragic end to a sad and tragic life. NOT a crime.

I do know that I will never take responsibility for an elderly person whether family or not. The risks are just too high.

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Dear Anonymous;

I can certainly relate to your comments, since 1999 when Dr. Fernandez suffered a stroke and taking care of Clara and Dr. Fernandez. We have faced many hardships.

While understanding how frustrating it must be taking care of an elder person that's un cooperative, taking care of an elder person full time is a serious responsibility that requires a lot of money for their maintenance and up keep and must NOT be mistaken for embezzlement and used as a scapegoat!

Unfortunately the frustration among many victims is that the law seems to protect the perpetrators more than it does the victims of abuse, and when a death occurs at a nursing home, the media frenzy is quick to jump on the bandwagon, while the difficult cases of elder abuse are labeled "civil matters" and go unsolved.

Thank you for writing in to E.A. and participating in our on going discussion.

Title and italics by blog master repost from 7-19-07