Elder Rights Advocacy

Our attorneys and professional team are aggressive advocates for the rights of our elder clients. This typically involves advocating for senior citizens who are victims of elder abuse, as well as elder law and advocacy for proper care and treatment.

For over 20 years, Estate Planning & Elder Law Services has been committed to working with elderly clients and their families throughout Southeast Michigan, including Livingston, Washtenaw, Oakland and Wayne Counties. If you have concerns about elder abuse, neglect (including self-neglect) or financial exploitation, we encourage you to contact us for a free consultation about your situation.

Types of Elder Abuse and How To Recognize Them

Elder abuse is a growing problem. Unfortunately, seniors have become the favored target of unscrupulous persons who see their vulnerability as a means to a profit. Sadly, much of the abuse and exploitation is perpetrated by the people who are most trusted by the victims – like their spouses, children, grandchildren, caregivers, or financial or other advisors. As a result, thousands of elder abuse cases go unreported or ignored each year.

While there are many forms of elder abuse, the typical types of abuse experienced include:

How We Can Help

If a senior is the victim of abuse, neglect or financial exploitation, our firm and its network of other professionals can help pursue all civil and criminal remedies, thus bringing the full weight of the law to bear upon the offending party.

ELDER ABUSE PREVENTION

Only 1 in 25 cases of elder financial abuse is reported. There may be as many as 5 million elders victimized by financial exploitation each year.

Source: The National Center on Elder Abuse.

Financial Exploitation of Seniors

In financial exploitation matters, our attorneys and staff will assist you with:

taking the necessary steps to immediately stop any further abuse;
removing the offending party from any position that helped them commit the wrongful act (i.e. agent, joint owner, conservator, etc);
appointing someone to assist with the senior’s needs (i.e. power of attorney, guardian, conservator, etc);
retrieving the assets that were improperly taken, if possible; and
seeking criminal remedies, where appropriate, against the offending party.

This sometimes requires the involvement of the probate court in a variety of ways. Estate Planning & Elder Law Services attorneys have extensive probate litigation experience. Consequently, many matters can be resolved — and recoveries obtained — with minimal court involvement. In situations involving offenses committed by financial professionals, we can assist you by involving the appropriate federal and state agencies to put further pressure on the offending party.

Our Elder Law attorneys has been successful in recovering hundreds of thousands of dollars for seniors who have been the victims of such abuse.

Here are just a sample of some recent recoveries achieved for our clients:

Settlement for $125,000.00 as compensation for real property improperly converted by a family member.
Award of $106,500.00 for a child’s improper conversion of her elderly mother’s money.
Arbitration award of over $250,000.00 in estate assets and the invalidation of a will and several real property transfers of an elderly man.
Obtained reimbursement of surrender fees charged on inappropriate use of annuities and the return of the inappropriately invested funds.

Physical Abuse and Neglect

In physical abuse and neglect matters, we are available to assist you with:

taking the necessary steps to immediately stop any further abuse or neglect;
removing any offending party from any position that helped them commit the abuse or neglect (i.e. agent, joint owner, conservator, etc);
appointing someone to assist with the senior’s needs, care and treatment (i.e. power of attorney, guardian, conservator, etc);
developing a Care Plan for the senior and a plan to finance their care costs; and
seeking criminal remedies, where appropriate, against any offending party.

Patient Rights Advocacy: Attorneys and Advisors for Nursing Home, Assisted Living, and In-Home Care

Our firm aggressively advocates for the rights of our elder clients to receive proper quality of care, regardless of whether it is in an in-home setting, an assisted living facility, or a nursing home. Our attorneys, Elder Care Coordinator and network of other professionals can assist with admission and discharge planning, coordination of health care and prescription drug coverage, as well as the review of nursing home and care contracts. We can also advise you as to matters involving improper discharge practices, improper billing practices, and unlawful discrimination.

Please read more below about types of elder abuse and how to recognize them. If you need assistance with any of these matters, contact our elder law advocates for a complimentary consultation by completing our online information form or calling 888-663-7407.

Elder Rights Advocacy

Financial Exploitation of Elders

Financial exploitation is defined as the illegal or improper use of an elder’s funds, property, or assets. Michigan defines financial “exploitation” as: “an action that involves the misuse of an adult’s funds, property,… Read More

Physical Abuse of Elders

Physical abuse is the intentional use of physical force to cause pain, illness, injury, distress, functional impairment, or death. While no one should be subject to abuse, physical elder abuse is especially disturbing. Many older people are frail or… Read More

Elder Neglect and Self-Neglect

Neglect is defined as the refusal or failure to fulfill any part of a person’s obligations or duties to an elder. Neglect may also include failure of a person who has fiduciary responsibilities to provide care for an elder (e.g., pay for necess… Read More