[CseMgr1]

I felt compelled to post this news article, because it came out on the same day I attended an inservice on Elder Abuse. It was conducted by an R.N. who is a Forensic Specialist in this area. Chillingly, this poor woman died at the hands of a caregiver her family had privately hired without first doing any background checks...which our speaker said is a BIG "no-no". If they had, they would have found out:

State Department of Corrections records show Simpson was released in 2004 from Pulaski State Prison after serving 11 months for terroristic threats. In 2000, she was convicted in Cobb of cocaine possession.

Unbelieveably sad.

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/met...ge_tab_newstab

[oramar]

I am glad you posted this. It sounds like they are thinking of neglect but when I read it I think there may have been direct abuse. I get your point about hiring privately. There was a thing in local paper about it not to long ago. They said that sometimes families are driven to hire privately just because they can't get anyone any other way. I always assumed people hired shaky characters because they were trying to save money but the article said that sometimes you can't find reliable caretakers at any price.

[oktravelnurse]

This is so sad. Families hire people and trust in them to give good care.

I'm considering hiring someone to care for my mother. Stories like this really scare me. I couldn't stand the thought of someone abusing my mother. My heart goes out to this family. It is difficult enough to deal with the death of a loved one, much less knowing their loved one has been abused.

[SillyStudent]

How terrible. People do things to Elders and Children that they wouldn't do to strangers. I hope the family gets the justice they need for closure.

[ncan]

How awful for this family who had trusted another with the care of thier family. A backround check should have kept them from hiring her in the first place, but hind sight is always 20/20.