Report by Tom Olofsson, Attorney at Law, www.MyTrustLawyer.com (773) 905-1193

A new report on the abuse of Power of Attorney has been published by the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging.

The author, Lori A. Stiegel, explains that there are times when seeking help from a single public agency is not enough. At times help must come from a variety of agencies.

Stiegel uses the example of an aged woman who is taken advantage of by a family member. The story that is told is all to familiar to law enforcement and to attorneys working with older people.

“Victims of durable power of attorney (DPA) abuse or their family members often need help from the adult protective services, civil justice, or criminal justice systems to stop further abuse by the agent and to recover money, property, or other assets from the agent. But sometimes, as in the case example below, victims are sent from one system to another and don’t get the help they need.

The purpose of the report is to inform families of the proper steps to take when the Agent under a Power of Attorney is suspected of abusing their position. The report “informs consumers about DPA [Durable Power of Attorney] abuse and what each system [public service agency] can do to help victims.”

The report is an excellent introduction to the potential pitfals involved in the improper use of Power of Attorney.

I recommend that you download a copy from the ABA website at: http://www.abanet.org/aging/about/pdfs/durable_poa_abuse_fact_sheet_consumers.pd

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