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It's been more then an uphill battle for the past year: Elderly abuse, fraud, probate, attorney's, and guardianship I've done. . My grandmother has been taken advantage of from all her 4 children, two of which at some point were POA/Guardians, her bank financial advisor schemed his power and trustworthy position to steal and has commited several acts of fraud, her now new gaurdians are attorneys who are only delaying the process to take the last thing she has (her home) and the nursing home is right on board to insure everyone gets their piece.
I've fought and will continue to fight for my grandmother as she has been victimized by every person she had trusted the most. We have no help, I've quit my job, knocked on every door (dss, police, detectives, AG, DA, Clerk of courts, her new attorney guardians, her children, Ombudsman.) She has been declared incomident, put in a locked down facility an now has attorneys who are her guardians (which i'm thankful for believe it or not.) I can only have 2 visits per week per hour and not allowed to go to her room or take her outside the facility. Her money is gone except her home, which has renters but her son set up the lease and seems not to be depositing the money. She can't qualify for medicaid because of the 5 year look back as her two sons have transfered property in the recent years. They have set up a trust of all her assest except her home, which does no good anyways. Its just one last resource for her attorneys and nursing home to suck dry.
We'd like (my grandmother and I) nothing more then to get a rental property of our own where I'd be primary caretaker or hire a live in, or full time. She could go to an adult daycare while I worked, she'd stay busy/active,its affordable, and what we both want!!! My struggles are, I have no power (her attorneys do, they like me a lot, but they live civil probate too $) neither does she and I'm wondering if there's anyone or any avenue to take that can find her benefits, and release these attorneys from doing nothing but taking the last dollars she has? I haven't seen any real efforts from them, I've done most if not all leg work while having to check up on them on a consistance basis to ensure that my grandmother has a place to live!!!
This whole process is disgusting and I wish that people were more aware of the dangers as the end of life approaches. However, even if you have taken those measures, doesn't seem to matter. Its a Billion/trillion dollar industry that everyone seems to be cashing in on, and the entire issue "The ELDERLY and whats BEST for them" is never true. Are they to waste away in homes to die when their is loving, safe family to take care of them? I don't understand!
I have read several Q and A's on this wonderful site, I can relate to so many, but I've never taken the chance to tell my story, our story. We need help, I've done so much, I don't know where to turn or what I've left unturned.
I realize I'm being vauge, However, the details are to vast. If anyone has any idea of what medicaid or VA could do to help I'd be greatly appreciative.
My grandmother get ssi $1700 her husbands pension $1002 retirement $107 and should get her rental income $1000. Still not enough for her care which is $5400. I believe she could get further benefits through the VA the Aid and Attendence or Homebound; However her former guardians (uncle and now ex aunt in-law) set it up and I think they're now receiving those benefits. I'm having trouble locating the information and paperwork as I have no access to it.
The biggest problem is that she doesn't have enough $ for next month for the facility and I'm in a bug hurry.

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I agree. Don't worry about the money. When grandma asks, tell her the lawyers are taking care of it. Your job is to keep grandma calm and happy. She's got guardians who have to answer the the court for her care.
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The silver lining is that, because of those fat-cat fee-pocketing court-appointed attorneys, your sole duty to your grandmother is to see her and spend time in her company. All the rest of it is Not Your Problem - not because you don't care, of course you do, but because you have neither power nor responsibility to act on your grandmother's behalf: it is out of your hands. There is nothing you *can* do about her financial affairs or decisions about her living arrangements. So stop being a gopher for the attorneys - they're giving you errands to run to make you feel useful, but frankly they are taking the mickey. Let them earn those fat fees. And if your grandmother is having trouble keeping up with all this (who can blame her?) then find something else to talk about. It's all good - you get to do the fun bits, and let paid professionals do the grind.
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Have you spoken to Adult protective services? They may be able to give you some advise. I would also contact the local long-term care ombudsman, the ombudsman is a resident advocate for those residing in facilities. They can be very resourceful. Good luck.
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Abarker, any legal process takes time. The lawyers won't tell you that they're investigating your relatives - because you might accidentally let them know. If you watch the real live news, only after the trial, do we learn that the cops suspected the mother of killing her children. But the cops don't let on that they suspect her. Until they have enough evidence to convict her. It's logical because it's useless to prematurely press charges if you don't have evidence against the perpetrators.

And it's also true that if you rock the boat - by upsetting grandmother or the nursing home, the NH (nursing home) will tell the POAs (lawyers.) The lawyers can use this against you - and forbid you completely from seeing grandmother. Because you're no longer a supportive influence but now a disruptive influence.
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Abarker, please vent here all you want, but I am begging you to bite your tongue when you go to see her. If you ruffle their feathers at the home or upset the Guardians, they won't let you see her at all . If some anti-anxiety meds will help, please get some asap. Please just hold her hand and sing for her.
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Pamstegma I understand that it's a process and takes time, but when time is of the essence and their are no funds to pay the current rent, don't you think they'd be making sure her rental income is being paid? What kills me is the attorneys should be filing Criminal charges on the thieves and making sure the income, assets and rental income is being used in the best interest of my grandmother. No one seems to be concerned at all only me and grandmother. The more time that goes by the more money and assets go missing as well as her quality of life being confined to a lock down facility.
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abarker190, as long as the house is producing income, the return is better than selling the house. Yes those court appointed guardians will go after the person who is keeping the funds. Let them do that. They will also see that charges are pressed against anyone who refuses to return the funds they took. If Gma lives in a "filial responsibility" state, the persons who took the means will be sued by her Nursing Home, and they will lose. You can bet those attorneys are already doing a look back under court order. Be patient, it takes time.
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I used to have access to her accounts but I no longer do. The attorneys want to do as little as possible and their will be a come to Jesus meeting on Monday or Tuesday. So tired of the lack of care and work they've not done. I think if I file for Medicaid they'll look into her assets 5 years back and find fraudulent activity. My guess is they'll look into is and perhaps fill charges themselves. That don't want to pay the bill, and someone has to right?
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Sorry, I meant grandma's bank accounts. Why are the guardians asking YOU to sell her car?
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No he's dead and as time has gone on bank accounts keep adding to the list (12 Id say are know as of know) her guardians/attorneys have told me rental income has not been deposited after I hounded them to make sure they were receiving it. Her son is 4 months behind in depositing that rent. I've asked what their next steps are and all I get is they're not waiting on the results of the MDE. Depending on her competency matters a lot as far as which legal ways to take. Other then that they don't know what they're going to do. Want me to sell her car, check on rental income (with someone I despise even if I can put that behind me, it's doubtful he can but I'm going to try this weekend) and they want me to look into VA benefits for her, which I have no info or power unless they're there to sigh off on. It's such a mess, so much has been takin away from her to prevent this exact thing. In the meantime she is stressed/worried and having horrible anxiety which only make her more confused, or maybe she doesn't want to face the reality of it all. I'm trying to find a happy medium of what to tell her and what not too. I've been blocking need through this whole process want the past to end and focus on what we can do today for her and myself too.
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Do you have access to gpa's bank accounts? In other words, how do you know that rental income is not being deposited?

What do her guardians propose as next steps? Ultimately, this is their problem, yes?
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Thank you for the correction. Well problem is previous guardians set up rental agreement and her son is not depositing rental checks into her account, so it's not really an asset. An MDE is a medical evaluation to determine someone's competency and what level of care they may need. It was court ordered after presenting even r that she is quite capable of many things. Except her greedy children who undue influence retained those assets of hers and simply stole some of them. Problem is her financial bank advisor was and is part of the scheme and fraud. Works for the state credit union, no attorney or DA wants to take that case on, so her guardians now (attorneys) seem to want to keep this all in civil court so they can charge their fees and draw it against the last asset she has which is her home. I'm fine with them getting paid if only they would press criminal charges to gain back her assets that they can, because she doesn't qualify for Medicaid I'm not sure who or what else to do?
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"Sleight of hand" by the way.
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Sorry, I don't know what an MDE is. I would assume that attorneys think it's better to have rental income from home, as it can be preserved as an asset under Medicaid. What do they propose should happen when funds run out?
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Her attorneys have told me that there are not enough funds for the following month. We recently had a new MDE done as the first one was done by slide of hand (to put it nicely) she is in a locked down facility but her abilities and capabilities are vast. She can do lite cooking, cleaning, has zero trouble bathing/dressing herself so the question about how much care she needs has been the biggest problem and top of discussion for her attorneys and myself. So, yes it is there responsibility to take care of these matters, but all they seem concerned with is securing her home, not selling it for her care yet, and likely to take a good piece for there services. My concern is them not taking any legal action to get her assets back and keeping her in a facility which she doesn't need at this point. Her MDE results will be in soon and to clarify this process was brought on by her greedy children to gain guardianship only to get the inheritance they were gonna get in the first place. Thanks for your Thoughts Babalou.
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Who states that she does not have enough money for her rent at the facility next month? Has someone with official standing told you that they are about to evict her? If she has attorneys who are her guardians, aren't they responsible for taking care of this, not you?

If grandma is in a locked facility, you would be ill advised to take her home. She'll wander and escape and get hurt. One person cannot care for an advanced dementia patient. You would be better using your energy on your visits with her, and getting back into the work force.
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