State Protective Services For Adults Faces Cuts-One Third API Jobs Eliminated

By ANDY MILLERThe Atlanta Journal-ConstitutionPublished on: 02/20/08
The elderly woman had lived in an antiques-filled Atlanta townhouse and had amassed more than $1 million in assets.

By the time Susan Geoffrey met her, the townhouse was gone, and the woman, in her 80s, had only a fraction of her money left.

A caregiver, who had power of attorney, had spent the woman's money at a rate of up to $60,000 a month, says Geoffrey, an adult protection worker who investigated the case for the state. Geoffrey helped stop the years-long scam.

But under a budget plan proposed by Gov. Sonny Perdue, up to one-third of the adult protective services jobs — about 53 — may be eliminated. The state Department of Human Resources, which runs the program, cites a loss of $4.1 million in federal funds as the reason for the budget crunch.

Physical abuse of seniors can include beatings, cigarette burns and broken bones. Some people are deprived of food and needed medications.

"It certainly did shock me," Geoffrey said of her experience as an adult protective worker. "I couldn't believe that people could treat other people, especially family, that badly."

The Adult Protective Services hotline number is 1-888-774-0152 statewide, or 404-657-5250 in metro Atlanta.

Abridged Read it all here =>>

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Susan Geoffrey I extend you an invitation to read Elder Abuse on a regular basis, then you can join the 'believers' like many of us here at E.A. who were once naive and innocent non believers also! We also could not believe that an elder once abused would be subject to a forced guardianship by the state and for those lucky enough to have any money left to years of wrangling in the civil courts......

Once again please contact Governor Perdue of Atlanta here =>> and ask him what alternate plans he has to protect our elders after his phases out the State Protective Services Jobs? does he intend to form an special elder abuse task force such as other places have done?