Mickey Rooney and Elder Abuse
Mickey Rooney is just yet another celebrity who is speaking out against elder abuse and elder exploitation. Something that is becoming all too common from greedy family members taking advantage of their own parents who have become ill with dementia or alzheimer's disease.
Just recently, Mr. Rooney appeared before a senate committee urging them to strengthen laws and asking politicians to do more to help to protect the assets of the aging. Too many seniors are finding themselves being robbed by their children and they are either too ashamed to ask for help or they are not able to recognize the fact their children are robbing them blind.
Mickey Rooney, who is now 90 years old, told the senate, quote, "I felt scared. I was angry. You can't believe that it's happening to you. For years I suffered silently. I didn't want to tell anybody. I couldn't muster the courage and you have to have courage. I needed help and I knew I needed it. Even when I tried to speak up, I was told to shut up and be quiet." unquote.
It is so unfortunate that thousands of senior citizens in our country find themselves in the same situation as Mickey Rooney and they are unable to get themselves out. Many of them die from the hands of their own children. It is tragic that our seniors are neglected, abused, mistreated, kept prisoners inside of the homes of their children who claim they are their care-takers, are taken advantage of by those under the pretense of being a care taker and all the while, DCF and other officials look the other way.
While Mickey Rooney filed a restraining order against his step son and other family members to protect himself, there are many senior citizens who are not able to recognize the signs of elder abuse. They are not able to understand they are being taken advantage of or they are too scared to ask for help. They may also already be too far into their disease to be able to seek help. When this happens, their greedy family members are able to take full control and literally are able to destroy their lives. It is tragic and I hail Mickey Rooney a hero for stepping forward and bringing his personal situation before the senate.
His story could possibly help thousands of seniors who are in either the same situation or a very similar situation. Laws definitely need to be changed and laws definitely need to be strengthened to help senior citizens around the United States regarding elder abuse, elder exploitation and elder maltreatment.
It is absurd at best, that family members can keep their mother or father a virtual prisoner inside of their home and not allow them to receive telephone calls, visits, gifts, cards and letters from their friends or family members. It is absurd that anyone has the right to take control of another human being's life to such extent that the person being controlled, isn't even allowed out of their sight without their permission. That is a violation of that person's civil rights as a human being.
In Mickey Rooney's case, he stated that he was being abused both financially and emotionally. Fighting back tears, he asked congress to make elder abuse a specific crime. I strongly agree that congress does need to make elder abuse a SPECIFIC crime and that anyone who is found guilty of abusing, maltreating, neglecting or exploiting an elderly person....whether they are related to them or not.... are not only put in jail, but are given a prison sentence.
The senate heard Mickey Rooney loud and clear. Although Mr. Rooney's family members deny that they did anything wrong, committee chairman Sen. Herb Kohl introduced legislation that would create an Office of Elder Justice help co-ordinate law enforcement response to chronic elder abuse. Mickey Rooney asked the senate to put an end to elder abuse, by saying, quote, ""I'm asking you to stop this elderly abuse. I mean to stop it. Now. Not tomorrow, not next month, but now." unquote.
Just recently, Mr. Rooney appeared before a senate committee urging them to strengthen laws and asking politicians to do more to help to protect the assets of the aging. Too many seniors are finding themselves being robbed by their children and they are either too ashamed to ask for help or they are not able to recognize the fact their children are robbing them blind.
Mickey Rooney, who is now 90 years old, told the senate, quote, "I felt scared. I was angry. You can't believe that it's happening to you. For years I suffered silently. I didn't want to tell anybody. I couldn't muster the courage and you have to have courage. I needed help and I knew I needed it. Even when I tried to speak up, I was told to shut up and be quiet." unquote.
It is so unfortunate that thousands of senior citizens in our country find themselves in the same situation as Mickey Rooney and they are unable to get themselves out. Many of them die from the hands of their own children. It is tragic that our seniors are neglected, abused, mistreated, kept prisoners inside of the homes of their children who claim they are their care-takers, are taken advantage of by those under the pretense of being a care taker and all the while, DCF and other officials look the other way.
While Mickey Rooney filed a restraining order against his step son and other family members to protect himself, there are many senior citizens who are not able to recognize the signs of elder abuse. They are not able to understand they are being taken advantage of or they are too scared to ask for help. They may also already be too far into their disease to be able to seek help. When this happens, their greedy family members are able to take full control and literally are able to destroy their lives. It is tragic and I hail Mickey Rooney a hero for stepping forward and bringing his personal situation before the senate.
His story could possibly help thousands of seniors who are in either the same situation or a very similar situation. Laws definitely need to be changed and laws definitely need to be strengthened to help senior citizens around the United States regarding elder abuse, elder exploitation and elder maltreatment.
It is absurd at best, that family members can keep their mother or father a virtual prisoner inside of their home and not allow them to receive telephone calls, visits, gifts, cards and letters from their friends or family members. It is absurd that anyone has the right to take control of another human being's life to such extent that the person being controlled, isn't even allowed out of their sight without their permission. That is a violation of that person's civil rights as a human being.
In Mickey Rooney's case, he stated that he was being abused both financially and emotionally. Fighting back tears, he asked congress to make elder abuse a specific crime. I strongly agree that congress does need to make elder abuse a SPECIFIC crime and that anyone who is found guilty of abusing, maltreating, neglecting or exploiting an elderly person....whether they are related to them or not.... are not only put in jail, but are given a prison sentence.
The senate heard Mickey Rooney loud and clear. Although Mr. Rooney's family members deny that they did anything wrong, committee chairman Sen. Herb Kohl introduced legislation that would create an Office of Elder Justice help co-ordinate law enforcement response to chronic elder abuse. Mickey Rooney asked the senate to put an end to elder abuse, by saying, quote, ""I'm asking you to stop this elderly abuse. I mean to stop it. Now. Not tomorrow, not next month, but now." unquote.
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