MomMaw fell down in December 2005. Until then she was completely self-sufficient. She drove everywhere, bought and cooked her own food, she cleaned her house (and I swear dust was afriad to show itself in her home). Just a bit of arthritis in her right hand, so my other g'mother helped her write checks for bills. She was always worried whether or not she would have enough money to last her the rest of her life because she didn't want to go to a nursing home.

While she was in the hospital, I talked to her almost daily, and she asked that my sister not be told where she was. But the other g'ma did tell, and in two days - count 'em - TWO - sister came down to WV and left a life behind, though I would call it an existence.

Dear daughter says don't use names because of libel. So until the mess is settled we'll say RC (pretend it stands for Robber/Crook).

Really quick, RC's name got added to MomMaw's bank accounts (cause she would help write checks, ya know) and had my name taken off (which had been on the accounts for like 8 years) at Boone County Bank in Madison - accounts with a balance of $142,995.91.

MomMaw called the bank and asked that transactions from her account be stopped. She was told things such as "We can't check every check that comes through here" and "If a check is presented we don't know who signed it, we have to take it" as to why they couldn't protect her life savings.

At least once a week MomMaw called me and begged me for help because she was losing her money so quickly. The AD told me to come up there and help her by getting Power of Attorney, MomMaw agreed, and on July 13, 2007, I drove to West Virginia, MomMaw signed Power of Attorney papers authorizing me as POA, I filed them at the courthouse, and went to the bank to withdraw what was left of her life savings - $39,482.26.

That's over ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND dollars in just over a year. MomMaw never spent more than $1500 a month. Tax time and Christmas may have pushed it close to $2000 but she was not extravagent - she grew up very poor and didn't waste money. She wanted to have enough to last her the rest of her life.

Regarding the bank - suspected financial exploitation is elderly abuse, which is supposed to be mandatorily reported to senior agencies. Just like child abuse is supposed to be reported by certain people - like teachers, doctors, nurses - it's the law, and it's actually against the law not to report it. Shouldn't we all treat elderly with as much or MORE respect than we treat children? If it takes a village to raise a child, shouldn't the village look after the grandparents and great-grands of those childen? I believe that if you see someone getting hurt and you do nothing, you may as well be the abuser.