Mickey Rooney: Elder abuse made me feel trapped and scared

Mickey Rooney prior to testifying about elder abuse before the Senate Aging Committee in Washington on Wednesday, March 2, 2011.

/ AP Photo/Alex Brandon

(CBS/AP) Trapped, scared, used, and frustrated. That's how Mickey Rooney felt after being taken advantage of by a meddlesome family member, the 90-year-old film and television star told Congress on Wednesday.

Rooney was testifying before a special Senate committee that is considering legislation to curb abuses of senior citizens.

"Above all," Rooney said of being a victim of elder abuse, "when a man feels helpless, it's terrible."

And the problem is a lot more common than many people realize.

Every year, an estimated 2.1 million older Americans fall victim to physical, psychological, sexual, financial, or other forms of abuse and neglect, according to the American Psychological Association. And for every case reported to authorities, experts estimate there may be as many as five cases that were not reported.

Elder abuse cuts across all socioeconomic groups, cultures, and races, according to the National Center on Elder Abuse. And it can occur anywhere - in nursing homes and other institutions as well as private homes. Older people who are demented are especially vulnerable, as are those who have a substance abuse problem - or are cared for by someone who does.

Rooney did not identify the family member he says abused him. But he has obtained a restraining order from a judge in Los Angeles keeping his stepson, Chris Aber, away from him until an April 5 court hearing.

Rooney has accused Aber in court filings of withholding food and medicine and meddling in his personal finances.

The Center urges people to report suspected abuse to a local adult protective services agency. To find the number of an agency near you, click here or call 800-677-111.

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Mickey Rooney

[lux9999]

I'm having similiar cases as Mr. Mickey Rooney was expressed his bad elder abuse experiences.

My dad died in 2009 after that my mom and I never knew that my siblings abused to control against our privacy life and decision rights. I was
greatly disgusted of my siblings who gave me their irrelevant and false Trust and Will document copies after my dad died.

I'd try to report my many A.P.S. complaints to the Los Angeles County Adult Protection Service social workers who grossly neglected to listen my A.P.S. complaint rights for financial abuses, emotional abuses, verbal abuses and other reasons after my dad died to continue now.

The Los Angles County A.P.S. social workers still made fun of me as a deaf A.P.S. victim as they still abused to take advantage of my many A.P.S. complaint rights, because I'm a deaf A.P.S. victim after my dad died to continue now.

My siblings took out my 85 years old mom to the Sherman Oaks home board and room care on March 5, 2010 without my full consents. I never knew that her bad Sherman Oaks home room and board care doctors gave wrong medinces to cause my mom's health problems as she was murdered to die on
March 5, 2011 without my full consents. My mom was tortured her health pain victim from her bad Sherman Oaks home board and room on March 5, 2010 until March 5, 2011.

I still cry harder and harder every day and I can't sleep every nights that Los Angeles County A.P.S. social workers neglected to listen me
as a deaf victim past one year to continue now.

It is very harder to find any Los Angeles private probate and elder abuse attorney or Americans with Disabilities Act attorney or pro bona attorney who can handle my cases, because I'm a deaf victim.

I'm greatly afraid of my siblings who will abuse me more problems after my mom was murdered to die on March 5, 2011.

I have a lot of depression with heavy tears every day after my dad died
in 2009 and my mom was innocent murdered to die on March 5, 2011, because the Los Angeles County A.P.S. social workers grossly neglected to listen me as I'm a deaf A.P.S. victim.

The Los Angeles County A.P.S. social workers still violated to discriminate against deaf A.P.S. victim at this time.

If you find any Los Angeles attorney may interest to handle my cases, please e-mail at [e-mail]

[eCareDiary]

The issue of elder abuse is dear to my heart. As the Co-Founder of eCareDiary.com and part of the caregiving team for my father-in-law during his process of aging in home, I know we MUST be very involved in eldercare so we can advocate for our seniors. Our elderly sometimes cannot advocate, finding a team to do so when we can't be there is vital. There are means to monitor our elderly; some of those tools are on our blog http://eCareDiary.com. Susan Baida, Co-Founder of eCareDiary.com

[Dignity4elders]

As of January 1, 2011, everyday for the next 20 years, over 10,000.00 American's will be turning 65&.Elder Abuse is on the rise and is considered to be the New White Collar Crime&.Virginia E. Palumbo was a victim of Elder Abuse committed by her alcoholic and drug addicted son, her eldest daughter, and her son-in-law. Virginia E. Palumbo was stripped of all her financial assets, Stocks, Bonds, and Safety Deposit Box contents, Certificate of Deposit Accounts, Real Estate Property, Personal Possessions, Personal ID, Credit Cards, ATM Card, Checkbook&.her Eye glasses, Dentures and Walker, and even her Burial Plot was stolen from her. Denied any communication, mail or phone calls, Virginia E Palumbo was left on the floor of her own home bleeding, starving, dehydrating, and decomposing alive&after surviving that she was illegally held against her will in a convalescent home where all her Civil Rights were once again violated and denied by her eldest daughter, son-in-law, addict son and a number of corrupt attorneys that manipulated the system to deny Virginia E. Palumbo her Civil Rights in life and in death&.Virginia E. Palumbo's body was hidden from her remaining friends and family. Virginia E. Palumbo was cremated within hours of her death, buried on top of her deceased husband&and a Security Guard was hired to keep all friends and family away&.
Like Mickey Rooney, Virginia E. Palumbo was denied all of her Innate Rights, particularly including her Civil Rights&Virginia E. Palumbo was denied any opportunity and didn't have the strength that Mr. Rooney did to speak out&.his voice was heard&.for Mrs. Virginia E. Palumbo she was Tormented and Suffered Greatly at the hands of those three family members&but there is so much more to this story that needs to be told! Help Dignity 4 Elder's get Virginia E. Palumbo's story out so that New Legislation can be made, enforcement actually occurs as, at present, the lack of stricter laws and the general lack of enforcement makes Elder Abuse Laws nothing more than Legalized Murder of the Elderly!

[savcash]

It's not always family or strangers - but the gov that wishes to flex their muscile and a jelous sis in law that lies, that gets the elder in the grasp of the probate gang and the APS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrZ1psIkDNE and causes grief to the elder and loved ones.

[elainerenoir]

Perhaps Mickey Rooney's testimony before the Committee was actually the greatest accomplishment of his life. I will always think of him as a true and brave champion for the cause.

Much of what he described that he endured during his ordeal mirrored what also happens to guardianship and conservatorship abuse victims across the country, who lose all their civil rights and liberties under the guise of protection. Guardianship wards, unlike Mr. Rooney, even lose the right to complain.

Forewarned is forearmed! Please visit NASGA's websites at www.StopGuardianAbuse.org, www.AnOpenLetterToCongress.info and Blog at http://NASGA-StopGuardianAbuse.blogspot.com.

Guardianship abuse IS elder abuse.

Yours,
Elaine Renoire
NASGA