Sonoma County CA Separates Elderly Gay Couple & Sells All Their Possessions

[suebee]

There was a comment by someone who said she had searched Sonoma County records for a year and found no documentation to support the story. Also there is a disclaimer on the page saying that the stories were not pre-screened and that solely the authors were responsible for the content.

I don't know if I hope the story is true so a falsehood can't be used against us or that it's not true and nobody had to suffer the indignities that were outlined.

[Jess]

I am inclined to believe the story in its accuracy. I doubt the NCLR and other attys involved in the upcoming ( ongoing) case would be tossing their names out there if it wasn't a valid case.

More info from NCLR on Elder Rights. This case has brought these issues into light and with a sense of urgency.

http://www.nclrights.org/site/PageSe...issue_elderLaw

It also brings closer to heart the real issues of equality for all of our citizens. From Equality Matters... the 1138 reasons equality matters.

http://www.equalitymatters.org/equal...c/full_reasons

[PearlsNLace]

It has a docket number. There are multiple websites discussing the case with different tidbits of information.

[Kobi]

As presented, I have a hard time believing the story contains all the facts. Properly executed paperwork is rarely ignored. ple can not be "forced into nursing homes against their will".

Will be interesting to see the entire story.

[Corkey]

Um, sorry people can be forced into nursing homes, and are every day. People who have dementia, Alzheimer's and other mental and physical disorders. The person we bought our home from was forced to put her mother in a home, her mother was forced by the courts to go. Yes, it happens every single day.
The story may not have all the facts, it doesn't have to, it is a story. There is however a court date, an attorney, and an organization that do exist.

[Kobi]

Corky,

I have worked in health care for 30 years. People can not be "involuntarily committed" to a nursing home. Involuntary committment is a legal, mental health thing not a medical thing.

People can be coerced, prodded, persuaded etc. and this is usually because it is for their own well being i.e. not safe for them to be at home or alone or having an inadequate caretaker.

People who are unable to make these decisions for themselves require quardians and/or conservators, both court appointed and court accountable proceedings.

There is something big missing from this story or it deliberately used inflammatory language to piss people off.

Have done this work forever. You can NOT commit someone to a nursing home.

[Corkey]

Originally Posted by Kobi

Corky,

I have worked in health care for 30 years. People can not be "involuntarily committed" to a nursing home. Involuntary committment is a legal, mental health thing not a medical thing.

People can be coerced, prodded, persuaded etc. and this is usually because it is for their own well being i.e. not safe for them to be at home or alone or having an inadequate caretaker.

People who are unable to make these decisions for themselves require quardians and/or conservators, both court appointed and court accountable proceedings.

There is something big missing from this story or it deliberately used inflammatory language to piss people off.

Have done this work forever. You can NOT commit someone to a nursing home.

First off, the name is Corkey, and secondly in my own family my cousins mother in-law was FORCED into a nursing home, she didn't want to go, she fought not to go, but was FORCED by the courts to go. You weren't there, you have no clue how horrible it is to see this happen to a loved one.

[apretty]

Originally Posted by Kobi

Corky,

I have worked in health care for 30 years. People can not be "involuntarily committed" to a nursing home. Involuntary committment is a legal, mental health thing not a medical thing.

People can be coerced, prodded, persuaded etc. and this is usually because it is for their own well being i.e. not safe for them to be at home or alone or having an inadequate caretaker.

People who are unable to make these decisions for themselves require quardians and/or conservators, both court appointed and court accountable proceedings.

There is something big missing from this story or it deliberately used inflammatory language to piss people off.

Have done this work forever. You can NOT commit someone to a nursing home.

it's not a novel, there's bound to be some omitted facts. however, i'm wondering if you think that the omitted facts will lead to an alternate, 'happy ending', one not detailed here? do you think that a gay man doesn't die and his partner doesn't end up losing everything? (i don't)

[patrick_sdmn]

Originally Posted by Kobi

Corky,

I have worked in health care for 30 years. People can not be "involuntarily committed" to a nursing home. Involuntary committment is a legal, mental health thing not a medical thing..

Hi Kobi -

You can read the complaint that was filed (with all the names, dates, and details) on NCLR's site here: http://www.nclrights.org/site/DocSer...pdf?docID=7461

[MysticOceansFL]

It just goes to show we need to keep staying together for our rights and don't veer off from what our set goals are yes things like this will happen but I am sure abama is on the right path for us all. Everything takes time and its a slow process but in these times of crisis we need to pull together and stay focused it will happen one day for us it might not be as soon as we'd like it to be but it will!!!

[SuperFemme]

it IS rather amazing that making employee's follow proper protocol is a newly implemented thing.

seriously?

[patrick_sdmn]

Originally Posted by Kobi

As presented, I have a hard time believing the story contains all the facts. Properly executed paperwork is rarely ignored. ple can not be "forced into nursing homes against their will".

Will be interesting to see the entire story.

Read the legal complaint and weep - it's heartbreaking.

http://www.nclrights.org/site/DocSer...pdf?docID=7461

[Waldo]

There is more to the story - of course there is because this is just the beginning.

The complaint is a legal allegation from the plaintiff against a series of defendants. No arguments have been made. No exhibits have been presented.

After reading the complaint quickly I have a better understanding of, seemingly, why things may have happened the way they did. BUT I don't KNOW why they did, nor will I ever know.

There are allegations of abuse from the defendants against the plaintiff in regard to the decedent. What if they were true? Does that change anything for your opinion of what happened?

If the plaintiff was abusing his partner of 20 years and the medical staff acted to protect the decedent from continued abuse and sold off property and belongings to pay for the care required... does that make it ok?

Again - I don't know what happened and I have not read every word, I'm just exercising my critical thinking skills in an effort to understand how and why this happened.

patrick_sdmn - you seem to be very passionate about this. Are you involved some how? Your profile says you're in Sonoma County and you just joined today and these five posts are the extent of your activity on the site. Would love to know more if you're willing to share.

[Jess]

Highlighted Waldo's comments in red that I wanted to address. My responses are in blue. I suck at this kind of stuff, so sorry if it is confusing.





[QUOTE=Waldo;88850]There is more to the story - of course there is because this is just the beginning.

The complaint is a legal allegation from the plaintiff against a series of defendants. No arguments have been made. No exhibits have been presented.

Perhaps because it hasn't had its day in court. Evidence is usually not presented in the media before it has been presented in court.

After reading the complaint quickly I have a better understanding of, seemingly, why things may have happened the way they did. BUT I don't KNOW why they did, nor will I ever know.

There are allegations of abuse from the defendants against the plaintiff in regard to the decedent. What if they were true? Does that change anything for your opinion of what happened?

I have not seen statements that state this. Could you show me where those allegations were made against the plaintiff?

If the plaintiff was abusing his partner of 20 years and the medical staff acted to protect the decedent from continued abuse and sold off property and belongings to pay for the care required... does that make it ok?

Again.. I have read through all of this a few times over and have yet to find where Mr Greene was accused of abusing the decedant.


Again - I don't know what happened and I have not read every word, I'm just exercising my critical thinking skills in an effort to understand how and why this happened.

My thoughts are that this was an elderly couple.. One 78 and one 88. One fell down , broke a hip as it were and someone ( probably with the paramedics) made a complaint. It is usually as simple as that when it comes down to elderly couples ( homo or hetero-sexual) Unfortunately, it seems any directive to execution of estate was neglected and further set aside by the county administrators. If this happened to our grandparents.. we would be all over this shit. A lot of gay couples have no one other than themselves, particularly at this advanced age. They have no immediate family of advocates.

And regarding the validity of accusations of abuse... If there were documented records of abuse over a 20 year period that no one stepped in on, ( which I doubt) then I would be even more enraged at the system that so clearly failed these men.

[patrick_sdmn]

Originally Posted by cybersuebee

There was a comment by someone who said she had searched Sonoma County records for a year and found no documentation to support the story.

Well she didn't look very hard.

http://www.sonoma-county.org/board/m...a_20091103.htm