Help needed

[rkapteyn]

A good friend of mine in central Minnesota needs a senior advocate or lawyer to help him regain his independence.
He has been brought to a senior facility by family members in Olivia MN.
He stated to me that he had not signed papers or had any competency hearing and he feels he is held against his will.
Allegedly an individual took his cellphone , money , wallet and checkbook.
He has been a SDC member since 1968 and his father was a Studebaker dealer.
His interesting collection of Studebaker junk has been destroyed without his consent.
Contact me at studebaker@me.com for more details.
Robert Kapteyn

[StudeRich]

Wow, that just Sucks!
I hope someone knows someone in the area that can help this poor, helpless, doomed, soul.

[jclary]

Gosh...so sad to hear tales such as this. Got to be more to the story, and I have reached a point that I have realized that, sometimes, sadly, you are better off not knowing "the rest of the story."

This tale hits close to home to me because of recent developments in my own family. My mother is now 92. She birthed six of us in eight years. She raised over a dozen children that included three additional adopted daughters. She experienced the loss of my father in 1978 to cancer, a daughter to an auto crash in 1986, and both my brothers passed in 2007. It was shortly after the death of my brothers that my older sister and her husband insisted that mother sell her home and move into their expensive condo with them at the beach. The promise was that Mom would have a safe and loving home for the rest of her life.

Besides doing nothing to encourage or lift her from her understandable grief and depression, they spent most of their time shutting her off in her room, ignoring her, and being resentful of her comments about their evening drinking, foul language, questionable associations, and bad habits. I know that my sister had good intentions, but I now know that they were just not up to the task.

In the last few weeks, the adopted sisters and I have conducted a "rescue" mission to relieve my older sister and her husband of the burden of our mother. We have moved mother to another city and into a retirement center where she has her own apartment. She has only been there a couple of weeks, but she has already made friends, and a joyful spirit has returned to her personality. During this time, I discovered that my Sister and her husband had been charging her for rent, phone, cable, and food. Not that the rest of us would have thought some contribution was not in order, but this was being done in secret and at an unreasonable rate. The biggest surprise was that they had dipped into her investment fund to pay for their new pool house. Luckily, I learned that mother had documented this transaction. Now that I have legally had her power of attorney updated, changed banks, and completed the process of isolating my Sister from having access to her money, we are beginning the legal process of recovering the "Pool-house" money.

It is so sad to see what can happen to our elderly in these times. It is also a cautionary glimpse toward the future for all of us. Recently, there was a stupid reality show featuring a trailer park in Myrtle Beach S.C. called "Myrtle Manor." Sadly, I am embarrassed to admit...Myrtle Manor is a reality...but it is not a trailer park...it is my sister's condo!

[DEEPNHOCK]

http://intentions.wordpress.com/2010/12/13/the-baker-act-explained/

I do not know anything about Minnesota, but here is some info on the Baker Act that is commonly used in Florida.
Perhaps some research particular to Minnesota will provide some info.

[PlainBrownR2]

Ohhhh, I know who this individual is, and I find this rather shocking....and when I mean shocking, I mean "Son of a ******" to have this happen to him! He retained quite a bit of unique Studebaker literature too, and having been through this kind of treatment before with a couple of other people, this is wrong on so many levels!

[warrlaw1]

In my jurisdiction (Ontario) we have an office of the Public Guardian and Trustee, who will get involved, on request, where a person has not given Power of Attorney to any individuals. There must be some parallel office in that state. A google search might turn something up. They charge, if the person has funds, or act pro bono, if not.

[Bob Bryant]

Each state has so-called elder laws and most if not all have a department to serve such clients as reported and needed for their care and well-being. Elder attorneys can be selected for their expertise. Sadly, I have observed situations similar to the one described by jclary. The senior citizen becomes a cash cow for the caregivers. Hopefully, the gentleman in MN will get the representation he needs.

[LeoH]

In my jurisdiction (Ontario) we have an office of the Public Guardian and Trustee, who will get involved, on request, where a person has not given Power of Attorney to any individuals. There must be some parallel office in that state. A google search might turn something up. They charge, if the person has funds, or act pro bono, if not.

Depending on the city or county, we have a similar office in our county. Unfortunately, this is going to be a difficult effort without someone outside the facility to help. I am working the rest of the week, if any of our patient case managers are at work Thursday or Friday, I'll ask them for suggestions. I don't know if they will be in though.

[rkapteyn]

This is a follow up on my friend's situation.
I found out that he did sign a power of attorney to his cousin.
He is resigned to the fact that they took his drivers license and that he has to sell his very nice 1966 Studebaker Cruiser.
He has been able to leave the nursing home for family visits.
I asked him if he wanted to come back to Illinois,where his friends are and he stated
that he wants to stay in Minnesota and find an apartment.
His very nice red 1966 4dr. Cruiser is for sale at $3200.00 (negotiable)
Contact me for his number.Car is located near Olivia MN.
Robert Kapteyn
studebaker@mac.com

[8E45E]

His very nice red 1966 4dr. Cruiser is for sale at $3200.00 (negotiable)
Contact me for his number.Car is located near Olivia MN.
Robert Kapteyn
studebaker@mac.com

Perhaps this car? http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...ht=mount+royal

Craig

[BobWaitz]

Here is a list of senior-related services in Minnesota:

http://www.mnseniorsonline.com/non-profit.html

You might start with:
Senior LinkAge - 1-800-333-2433
Elder Law Answers -- 1-866-267-0947
Vital Aging Network (VAN) - 651-917-4652
or
Seniors Coalition - 202-261-3594

[rkapteyn]

Yes that is the car I was talking about.
I never saw that post before.
Robert Kapteyn