primitive has disabled friend who needs help

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/114121

Oh my.

CountAllVotes (10,612 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

My friend needs help help help !!

disabled friends out there.

I have a friend that was in a terrible accident a number of years ago and it left him paralyzed. He is in a wheelchair and requires round the clock care. He is in his late 50s if that matters (?).

Being the cause of the accident was job related, he receives monthly payments from his former employer so he can pay for caregivers to be there for him round the clock; in other words his has some money and his caregivers know this.

I found out the other day that his primary care giver is a woman that somehow managed to get Power of Attorney over him (he has no family much sans a brother with MS that is in very rough shape and in no position to help him).

In any event, my friend found out that his primary caregiver is drinking and using drugs and stealing from him. He recently found drugs that were not his in his house and noted that a bunch of his money was missing. To top things off, he now has a homeless person that he has taken into his household that is using drugs as well it seems and he doesn't have the means to help this person financially and said person is doing nothing at all to help him. Alas, he was able to figure out who the culprit is that is stealing from his and it has been narrowed down to his primary caregiver who has Power of Attorney over him. 

My friend is of sound mind but his body is shot to hell from the accident. There doesn't seem to be any disabled advocacy agencies around these parts and I don't know what to advise him to do. I rather hope that fate catches up with the primary caregiver and that she winds up in jail which will likely happen sooner or later given the behavior (you'll actually see her drinking in public while pushing him around in his wheelchair if you can believe that!). 

He wants to be rid of this woman but fears he will then have no one to care for him so she sort of has him over a barrel.

What can he do? Does anyone have any idea for my friend? Please let me know via PM or post here if you care to.

He lives in the state of California if that makes any difference ... ?

Systematic Chaos (7,059 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

1. I would start with Adult Protective Services.

Explain this situation to them, and find out if there are any advocacy groups in your friend's area who may be able to provide help from non-derelict volunteers.

http://www.cdss.ca.gov/agedblinddisabled/PG1298.htm

Reports will have to be filed, and I don't know how badly understaffed this agency is since I'm next door in Nevada. Hopefully the county your friend is in will have people who are on the ball and can help with a quick and satisfactory solution to this.

But short of sending Guido and Vito over to "pay some people a little visit," this is you and your friend's first legal step.

Irishonly (2,715 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

4. Best of luck to you

Is his care giver a private hire or through a government program? If any social security funds are being used I would contact them. Unfortuately, we read too many of stories about care givers.

I don't know how much Harris could help but a phone call to her office may give you some other directions to explore.

CountAllVotes (10,612 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

5. I believe she is a private hire

Last edited Tue Jan 3, 2012, 06:21 AM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

He is paying her out of his own pocket, that much I know.

I do not have a lot of info. re: this man as he is an acquaintance that I have had for a rather short period of time. I found out about all of this crap going on with him on New Year's Eve.

[Rugnuts]

stop paying her.

[GOBUCKS]

As Sarah Imaboobi says, "I just love Occupy!"

[BattleHymn]

In any event, my friend found out that his primary caregiver is drinking and using drugs and stealing from him.

Taverner's dream job. 

[Boudicca]

Taverner's dream job. 

His and half of DUmmyland.
Scratch that, there isn't a half of DUmmyland interested in working, period.

[GOBUCKS]

What we have here, which is really alarming, is not a single nadin or Imaboobi thread on the front page of the DUmpster.

When a DUmpmonkey goes missing, there's always that nagging fear.

The nutcase is right on the front lines of the revolution, reporting with four extra batteries, without bias, as the cannons roar in the background. She rides to the sound of the guns. It's always been clear we could lose her at any time. If we're lucky.

But especially since her last DUmping, Imaboobi almost never leaves her apartment. She sits there night after night, online, rooting for the occupoopers as they press forward with the wino revolution. One would think she'd be safe. I hope the neighbors don't locate her by odor.

[I_B_Perky]

CountAllVotes (10,612 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

My friend needs help help help !!

disabled friends out there.

I have a friend that was in a terrible accident a number of years ago and it left him paralyzed. He is in a wheelchair and requires round the clock care. He is in his late 50s if that matters (?).

Being the cause of the accident was job related, he receives monthly payments from his former employer so he can pay for caregivers to be there for him round the clock; in other words his has some money and his caregivers know this.

I found out the other day that his primary care giver is a woman that somehow managed to get Power of Attorney over him (he has no family much sans a brother with MS that is in very rough shape and in no position to help him).

In any event, my friend found out that his primary caregiver is drinking and using drugs and stealing from him. He recently found drugs that were not his in his house and noted that a bunch of his money was missing. To top things off, he now has a homeless person that he has taken into his household that is using drugs as well it seems and he doesn't have the means to help this person financially and said person is doing nothing at all to help him. Alas, he was able to figure out who the culprit is that is stealing from his and it has been narrowed down to his primary caregiver who has Power of Attorney over him.

My friend is of sound mind but his body is shot to hell from the accident. There doesn't seem to be any disabled advocacy agencies around these parts and I don't know what to advise him to do. I rather hope that fate catches up with the primary caregiver and that she winds up in jail which will likely happen sooner or later given the behavior (you'll actually see her drinking in public while pushing him around in his wheelchair if you can believe that!).

He wants to be rid of this woman but fears he will then have no one to care for him so she sort of has him over a barrel.

What can he do? Does anyone have any idea for my friend? Please let me know via PM or post here if you care to.

He lives in the state of California if that makes any difference ... ?

I have an idea dummy... how about you get off your ass and help your "friend"?

[BEG]

I have an idea dummy... how about you get off your ass and help your "friend"?

A DUmmie can't actually help someone.    Don't be "reducuruss".

[I_B_Perky]

A DUmmie can't actually help someone.    Don't be "reducuruss".

Hades fire BEG... what was I thinking?     

Too much pizza must cause brain farts cause I obviously had a major one.