Yet Another Downside of Aging
If you're reading this hoping for a guide to abusing the elderly, such as Elder Abuse for Dummies, you're (A) out of luck and (B) a monster.
On the other hand, if you're looking for some tools to help fight elder abuse, then this post may be helpful.
Elder Abuse In The News
In case you didn't know it, I'm a big fan of all things Marvel. That's why I was sad to see reports of elder abuse against Marvel founder Stan Lee, who died in November of 2018.
Recently, a former business partner and caretaker of Mr. Lee's was charged with three felonies, including false imprisonment, grand theft (possibly $5 million!), and a misdemeanor charge of elder abuse.
Surprisingly, these crimes seem relatively normal when compared to the one perpetrated by another ex-manager of Mr. Lee's. In that case, the ex-manager was sued for having "a nurse inject Lee with a syringe and collect many containers of blood", which were then sold by a fictitious charity for thousands of dollars.
How low do you have to be to steal and sell your employer's blood? Perhaps the better questions are who bought the blood and what did they do with it? Unless it's some genius who is attempting to clone Stan Lee, these questions are better left unanswered.
Elder Abuse Facts
Mr. Lee was a celebrity, so his case makes for interesting reading and generates headlines. Unfortunately, most cases of elder abuse don't make the news. Here are some statistics from the National Council on Aging:
Approximately 1 in 10 Americans age 60+ have experienced some form of elder abuse
It's possible only 1 in 14 cases of abuse are reported authorities
Two-thirds of abusers are adult children or spouses*
*I'll be keeping an eye on you, Heidi Kotzian
What You Can Do
If you suspect an older adult is being mistreated please contact your local Adult Protective Services office. Residents of Washington, D.C. can contact the Adult Protective Services 24-hour hotline at 202-541-3950.
Mom & Dad: If you're reading this, don't be alarmed when I show up for a visit with a syringe and many containers.
