Along with the multiple copies of the Cambodian Midget Fighting League story in my email box, I received a “Dear Friend” letter that caught our attention. While the purposes of this blog are many — from pointing out poor public policy to outing politicial correctiveness run amok — every once in a while we see aneed for some social advocacy. In this case it is elderly abusers (no, not Catholic priests but abusers of the elderly). This is especially galling when it involves victims of Alzheimer’s Disease.

To make a long story short (go to this link if you want a blow by blow account as this blog has been following the story and will probably keep posting updates):

A 79 year old Alzheimer’s Disease victim goes to a music store for lessons. She is sold not just one organ, but, since it is apparent to store staff that she doesn’t remember what she has bought, they sell her 11 organs over 18 or so months costing her over $25,000. The sales manager is arrested and if there is any justice in the world not only will he get jail time but he’ll spend the next 25 years doing community service with senior citizens. I have to admit this is the one time I wouldn’t mind seeing Jessie Jackson parachute in with press in tow.

Anyway, here is the letter and it includes a good chance to send a message to the sleazeballs who scammed the old lady. (See #5).

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Dear Friend:

I am writing to you to ask you to help expose an increasing problem that we have in the United States, elderly abuse. You may have heard about the recent arrest of a music store manager for scamming a 79-year old Alzheimer’s Disease victim out of $25,000. Read the story at: http://alzheimersjournal.blogspot.com/2005/05/exploiting-victims-of-ad.htmlExploitation of the eldery is one of the most callous, insensitive, cowardly and heinous crimes imaginable. It is also an enormous problem. The very same day that the music store manager was arrested, another man, David Brian Phillips, 26, of Jacksonville, Florida for scamming more than $90,000 from a 79-year-old Jacksonville woman suffering from memory loss for yard work never done. (He was supposed to charge $80/week). This is just the tip of the iceberg.

What you can do:

1. Forward this email to everyone you know and post this on every forum and message board you visit. By getting this story exposed, stores and other service providers to the elderly will be put on notice that malfeasance on their part against the elderly will be meet with public condemnation and legal recourse.

2. Contact your State, Local and National representatives. New and tougher laws are needed. (HR2490 and S333 have been in committee in the House and Senate respectively since 2003).

3. Contact your local newspaper and tell them that this is an issue you want publicized.

4. If you know someone who might be in trouble call the Elderly Abuse Hotline (you can get the number at the link below)

5. If you want to have a direct impact on bringing justice to this one case you can
email Fletcher Music info@fletchermusic.com and tell them what you think of their behavior. If you are particularly angry you can call the store as well to ask them why they felt it was okay to fleece Alzheimer’s victims.

It is your chance to do something good today.

For additional information on Alzheimer’s: http://www.alzheimersjournal.blogspot.com/

thank you.

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The rest is up to you.

Technorati Tags: Alzheimer’s

This entry was posted on Saturday, May 28th, 2005 at 11:44 am by Insider and is filed under Brilliant, but uncategorizable, Weekend Edition / Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.