A family member is being physically,emotionally,financially abused .The woman is 67 years old,has cancer,is on morphine etc. and recently termed incompetent due to possibly a temporary lack of oxygen to the brain while in the care of her drug addicted daughter.The mother is able to communicate,carry on a conversation,however suffers memory loss and is unable to care for herself (cannot dial a phone,use a stove,remember what day it is,where she lives etc.)This daughter has stated repeatedly to family members she is going to put her mother down like a dog,do a mercy killing on her etc.The mothers savings (approx. 30,000.) in just the last few months has vanished,the daughter cashes the mothers social security checks to finance a trip to Florida for herself (after her mother had been medi vac'd due to the possible oxygen deprivation to a local hospital) and openly takes/abuses the meds prescribed for her mother.(there is a history of abuse previously documented by state mother lived in previously also) I have contacted authorities in her state of residence,contacted Adult Protective Services (I live in NE).APS did interview the mother,had concerns regarding mental/physical abuse,had said they would be investigating further as to the drug and financial abuses.I was led to believe my family member would remain safe in the facility she was in until such investigation was completed.(that was yesterday)Her daughter returned from her vacation in Florida yesterday,went to the medical facility today and removed her mother from that facility.After speaking with that facility and inquiring how a patient could be released in a case where abuse was being investigated and in my family members condition,I was told they weren't aware of the abuse investigation.(fact being APS interviewed elderly patient in their facility with medical personal in area)Facility also stated they did not validate/verify POA document as that is not their responsibility.It was glanced at,accepted as fact and patient was released to daughters custody.(fact being there never has been any validation of the supposed document nor has any POA document been filed with any medical facility this elderly patient has been in )At this point,my family member is once again in the daughters care.(the daughter has never supported herself,had her own home etc.so has been residing with the mother.
Is there any way I can help my family member???Any info/advice would be so very much appreciated.
PS.I have called PD and basically they state I would need to go to Texas to address the situation. (both my husband and I are neither spring chickens or well off and just want to insure the well being of our family member.Thank you.
I'm assuming, of course, that you've already burned all bridges of communication with the "care-giving" (ha!) daughter in question.
Have the other daughter and son asked for your help and advice? Is there anything they would like you to do? If there is, for example if they would like you to go and stay with their mother for the immediate future, perhaps they might also like to fund it if necessary!