WE ARE CALLING FOR STATE AND NATIONAL EFFORTS TO CONFRONT THE ABUSE AND FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION OF OUR ELDERLY AND VULNERABLE CITIZENS AND FOR REAL MEANINGFUL CHANGE TO END THE ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION IN ADULT GUARDIANSHIPS AND CONSERVATORSHIPS. (SEND US YOUR STORY AT STOPELDERABUSE@NOTEGA.COM ) ELDER ABUSE AND ABUSE OF DISABLED ADULTS IS ON THE RISE AND THE GUARDIANSHIP SYSTEMS IN OUR STATE COURTS AND PROTECTIVE AGENCIES INTENDED TO PROTECT THE VULNERABLE, ALL TOO OFTEN, FAIL TO DO SO. CASES CAN ULTIMATELY COST A VULNERABLE PERSON, AND THEIR FAMILY, TENS, IF NOT HUNDREDS, OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS; SOMETIMES, FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN GREED. THERE SEEMS TO BE TOO LITTLE CONCERN ABOUT THE COST TO THE WARD. AFTER ALL, WHEN THE MONEY RUNS OUT, YOU AND I (THE AMERICAN TAXPAYERS) WILL JUST PICK UP THE TAB IN MEDICAID AND SOCIAL SECURITY DOLLARS. THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET RICH QUICK IS TEMPTING FOR PERPETRATORS WHO KNOW HOW TO PLAY THE GAME. PROFESSIONALS AND PETITIONERS WHO ABUSE THE SYSTEM GIVE A BAD NAME TO THOSE WHO ARE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING. STRANGERS ARE OFTEN APPOINTED TO TAKE OVER THE PERSON'S LIFE AND FAMILY MEMBERS, WHO END UP SEPARATED FROM THEIR OWN LOVED ONES, DARE NOT SPEAK OUT FOR FEAR OF LOSING THE RIGHT TO EVEN VISIT THEM AT A TIME WHEN THEY ARE MOST VULNERABLE. IN THE MEANTIME THESE DEAR CITIZENS CAN LOSE ALL OF THEIR CIVIL RIGHTS AND COULD END UP WITH FEWER RIGHTS THAN A PRISONER ON DEATH ROW. THERE IS SIMPLY NO EXCUSE FOR THE ENORMOUS COST AND ABUSE THAT CAN BE DOLED OUT (BY PERPETRATORS THAT INCLUDE UNETHICAL ATTORNEYS, UNPROFESSIONAL GUARDIANS AND UNCARING JUDGES IN THIS DYSFUNCTIONAL SYSTEM IN OUR COURTS) TO FAMILY MEMBERS WHO TRULY CARE AND ARE DESPERATELY TRYING TO HELP SOMEONE DEAR TO THEM WHO IS IN NEED. WE NEED A GUARDIANSHIP BILL OF RIGHTS FOR WARDS AND THEIRS FAMILIES SO WE CAN HAVE A VOICE TO HELP OUR LOVED ONES WHEN THEY GET OLD AND VULNERABLE ! WE NEED NATIONAL OVERSIGHT, LEGISLATION AND CHECKS AND BALANCES THAT WORK ! WE NEED NATIONAL REFORM THAT ENSURES JUSTICE, THAT GIVES FAMILIES AND FRIENDS A VOICE AND REDUCES THE COST OF GIVING A HELPING HAND TO A LOVED ONE IN NEED ! WE NEED MEANINGFUL CHANGE AND TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN ! PLEASE SIGN OUR PETITION FOR CHANGE A HELP GIVE A VOICE TO THOSE WHO HAVE NO VOICE ! "It was once said that the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped." - Hubert H. Humphrey - Contact us at mailto:stopelderabuse@notega.com or visit www.stopelderabuse.net to join our cause or to leave feedback on what you think can be done to help advocate the changes we need to fix this terrible problem. UPDATE !!! This Petition was submitted to the US House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security and was sent to member of the Senate Judiciary and House Judiciary Subcommittees. See testimony on guardianship abuse at http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/id/224955

WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, ARE CALLING FOR NATIONAL EFFORTS TO CONFRONT THE ABUSE AND FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION OF OUR ELDERLY AND VULNERABLE CITIZENS AND THE PROBLEMS WITH ADULT GUARDAINSHIPS AND CONSERVATORSHIPS.



"It was once said that the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped." - Hubert H. Humphrey- How will our Country be judged if we do nothing to stop the national travesty of Abuse and Financial Exploitation of our most vulnerable citizens.



Elder abuse is on the rise and our Protective Agencies and Services who should be protecting vulnerable American too often fail to do so. Instead of dealing with cases of abuse, vulnerable citizens and their families are often sent to a Probate or similar Court where a guardianship can ultimately cost a vulnerable person, and their family or friends, tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars; sometimes for no reason other than greed and because the ward is unable to object and does not have the right in guardianship to protect their own assets.



There seems to be too little concern about the cost to the vulnerable ward. After all, when the money runs out, the American Taxpayers will just pick up the tab in Medicaid and Social Security Dollars for the care of the indigent ward. The opportunity to get rich quick is tempting for perpetrators within the guardianship systems in our State Courts who know how to play the game.



Professionals and private citizens who abuse and exploit vulnerable citizens in the guardianship system give a bad name to those who are trying to do the right thing. Strangers are often appointed to take over the person's life and family members, who can end up separated from their own loved ones, dare not to speak out for fear of losing the right to even visit them at a time when they are most vulnerable. Often a ward is placed into an end of the line nursing home as their homes and lifelong possession sold at auction for the money to be chewed up by exorbitant and unnecessary legal fees and fee-for-service guardian fees. In the meantime, these dear citizens, can lose all of their civil rights and end up with fewer rights than a prisoners on death row.



Regardless of why or how a guardianship case gets started, there is simply no excuse for the enormous cost and abuse that can be doled out in Adult Guardianships (by unethical attorneys, unprofessional guardians and uncaring judges in this dysfunctional system with inadequate oversights in our courts) to family members and friends who truly care and are desperately trying to help someone dear to them who is in need. No one is exempt from abuse in this system.



WE ARE ASKING FOR A FAMILY MEMBER'S BILL OF RIGHTS AND LEGISLATION ENSURING THAT PRIVATE CITIZENS HAVE A VOICE TO HELP THEIR LOVED ONES WHEN THEY GET OLD AND VULNERABLE.



WE ARE ASKING FOR NATIONAL REFORM WITH LEGISLATION, OVERSIGHT AND CHECKS AND BALANCES THAT WORK.



WE ARE ASKING FOR REFORM THAT ENSURES JUSTICE IN A FEDERALLY RUN SYSTEM THAT REDUCES THE COST OF LENDING A HELPING HAND TO A LOVED ONE IN NEED!



Please help us by protecting those who are old and weak and may no longer have the right to speak. Please help us stop the abuse against those family members and loved ones who are willing and able to help. No one should have to go into guardianship if they have capable loved ones who are able and willing to care for them. Please stop the unnecessary cost to taxpayers and waste of Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security dollars that are ultimately spent supporting the victims of financial abuse in guardianships and conservatorships.



One day we will be old and weak and we will reap the benefits of our inaction now tomorrow when anyone of us could become a victim of this National shame.



PLEASE HELP US STOP ELDER ABUSE, FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION AND GUARDIANSHIP ABUSE.



Please go to http://www.stopguardianshipabuse.net/ links to sites with real life stories of Elder and Guardianship / Conservatorship Abuse.



Thank you for taking the time to read our petition and for taking action.