We lost our relative to a guardianship conservatorship scam in Monterey CA. Our relative died in state custody, state confinement, in her 10 person board and care in Carmel, CA. She looked like a POW, skin and bones. She a woman of means, became a ward of the county and state and she died a pauper. She was the golden goose. We were the power of attorney. She wanted her family and she was not incompetent. She was a virtual prisoner and not even allowed to visit her family. She became a ward of the state when she had family willing and able to care for her. Her state appointed attorneys did the opposite of what she wanted. We are in court having sued them. The system is corrupted. Johnny

Johnny, I am so sorry to hear about your loss. How painful to have to sit back and watch a loved one suffer.

I don't understand how this can happen if she had living relatives. I'm very ignorant when it comes to this topic. Please help educate me.

Monterey County, CA Public Guardian office has power and it abuses it. We lived many miles away from our relative and we were in the process of moving her to our home. The 10 person board and care and the county wanted her money and they did not want her to leave so they "conserved" her, bypassed immeidate family, nominated themselves for the job (and then charged $27,000.00 for the first year's fees), bypassed the power of attorney and people she nominated to be her conservators in her health care directive proxy.Immediate family is supposed to have priority and standing under the law.The courts do exactly what the county wants. The froze all her money and took her identification. After the temporary over the telephone conservatorship, she was drugged with an anti psychotic drug Zyprexa known to be dangerous to seniors. Then they told us we could not take her out of the facility even for a drive. Mrs. Rose never got to see her home again. Then they sold all the antique furniture some of which we said was ours and all of it was our interhitance. This is a scam and a scandal and evil. Be sure to place someone you trust on your bank accounts and on deeds to your home. The Monterey county CA public conservators scammed Mrs Rose of everything. She died skin and bones looking like a POW with open lesions and severe brusing, a pauper and alone. The county still won't send us her old clothes and personal items. The took everything. Vultures and criminals. The system is corrupted from the top to the bottom. A watch dog group is needed.Thank you for your condolences. Johnny

God grief what a horrible ordeal this poor woman was forced to endure. This is a very serious and all too frequent crime and yes it is the same as breaking and entering and murder. I can't believe something couldn't have been done, if not state wise then federally. I am going to have some friends in Washington look this situation over and see whats what. This could happen to any of us the way the system is set up now and people like Dotsie and most of us are not aware of what to do....scary!!

I'm currently putting together notes for a book "Blood Tastes Lousey With Scotch" about what my cousins did and the past 18 months fighting for the financial life of my father. I's posted some of the documents, including the "extortion letter" I received from the guardian's attorney on my web site: http://ravenwest.net.

Raven, I looked, but couldn't find the documents. Mind giving us the exact link? I'm interested.

My mother lost the sight of on eye due to a condition called Giant Cell Arteritis. However, when she left Bascom Palmer Hosp. the best in eye care in the USA she had a prescription for glasses, and a prescription for prednisone to prevent the condition to affect the other eye. We placed her at a local ( Miami) Rehab./Nursing Center on a temporary basis. Soon, I noticed that she had bruses on her arms, she told me that she had fallen out of bed,( the adm. denied it) although she had bruises on her back, cuts on her elbows, and was heavily medicated with psychotropic drugs... after I found her on the floor, on a Sat. afternoo, with the shades drawn, lights out, door closed, on a mat on the floor crying, and the radio full blast to drown her cried, I told the rehab./nursing home adm. that I was going to report her to the elder abuse line... It went before the administrative judge maria Korvik who send a group (3) people only one a doctor, to determine if mother was competent. Although one of my complaints was that she was so medicated that she could not even lift her head up, or open her eyes, and would slured as she tried to speak; the team, who took a total of 15 min. at the center, deemed her incompetent. The Judge appointed a professional guardian to my mother, and my brother who used to be an atty. but has been in an active psychiatric disability for at least 9 years,guardian of the property-- her home, and social security ck. Although I had hired the best atty. in town ( he handled a probate case for one of Richard Nixon's daughters), changed me for the stamps and filing the application for guardian ( on 2002) now after mother has lost her sight, and is an indigent because they sold her home to pay her "outstanding debts", after much letter writing, etc. I has appointed guardian of the person,BUT the good judge also appointed a Court MOnitor to my Guardianship- everything is send to him to look over and make recommendations... the judge claimed that i had never filed an application for guardian. My adult daughter and I wrote and file for the public record, several letters refering to my application and asking why I was not appointed guardian of my mother... not to mention, that on the letters are detailed info. on the abuse and neglect mother was forced to endure, since the judge had Order mother to stay at the same abusive setting I had reported to the Elder Abuse Hot line. Lots to tell, so little space and time. I am looking for people with the same problem to network in hopes of bringing as many cases as possible to light. I am also looking for people to help us expose these abuses, my emailing their friends, writing letters to public officials requesting an investigation on our cases, and gathering signatures to change legislation so that we are indeed protected from further abuse. Judge Maria Korvick is up for re-election this year. Please help us, in making sure that changes are done.

Maritza, I have a feeling one of the biggest problems is over medication. It si so common in the elderly.

I am sorry to hear all that you've been through. How far is the facility from you home? How often do you get to see her? Must be heartbreaking to feel like your hands are tied.

I hope other women who have been through similar situations will post soon.

Hi Raven,
Maritza from Miami here. As you know, because I spoke to you, I am dealing with the same problem in Dade County. I am thrilled that you got something together for everyone who has experenced these kinds of atrocities, can sound out, share, and inform others-- I have been in the process of doing the same, but lack of time has held me back. In any case, I will be contacting your site and posting. Please look at my Post called Forced Guardianship in Dade County Florida. I would appreciate it if you can refer, family member in this area to me. I will also do the same when I contact your site. I did a public records file research and found some very interesting things on the various cases. If fact, I contacted via phone from the files, several fam. and compared notes of common incidents and manipulation from the people involved. Please let me make you aware, that in the 11th Probate Circuit Court,the Administrative Judge who happens to be over my case, and another judge are up for re-election. Interesting enought, I just found out, that my 1st atty. is helping one of them on the raising money Part of the campaign... you would think, that this would be a conflict of interest. After all, this atty. will be going in front of this judge sooner than later --don't you think?

Maritza,
Let me help you clarify some issues you mentioned.
First of all when a judge is campaigning and several attorneys happen to share his platform, such as Republican, democrat eic. There is absolutely no conflict of interest there. The cases they represent are suppose to be sepaerate and do not enter into campaign agenda. I would be careful as that is the same as saying that attorney is a Republican just like the judge, That type of statement will get Absolutely NO one to listen to your story. Please be careful you are not labeled as a "radical, disgruntled heir". You want to get action for your problem. Inapropriate public statements will only get your problem ignored as you will be labeled.
Free advice do as you please.