state + local

Talk to me in 10 years when my kids finally decide to send me to a retirement home. Until then I really don't care about this.

Perhaps if guardian's or conservators were compensated for the duties they must preform it would be less of a problem. I know of good honest attorneys who are thinking of dropping this service from their practice due to the burdensome paperwork. I am a guardian for my Mum and she has nothing to take - it all went to the home long ago for her care. I still have to report like she has millions. My fee allowed for taking care of her 'estate' and physical well being is $65.00 a Month. WOW

some of your court appointed people have never meet the people. just like a court appointedgaurdian at litem never really meet with the people they are supposedly in charge of. as to caring for a parent. i never charged for my mom or dad. never thought of it. instead i did things to make their life better. i wish i could still do it.

This may be a problem in other states--not so much in Minnesota, in my opinion. Here, private guardians (usually though not always family members) undergo a rigorous background check before the court will appoint them. Guardians must file annual personal well-being reports with the court as well as giving the ward a notice of the right to petition for removal of guardianship with the court. Additionally, conservators (needed if the Ward has an estate) must file annual financial reports with the court, accounting for the money spent. The whole process is pretty tightly controlled, as it should be. Additionally there are more and more corporations that serve as guardians and/or conservators, and these are even more tightly-overseen than are the private guardians. Again, the Strib needs to do a better job of presenting the entire situation: There are certainly some persons in Minnesota not doing a good job as guardian or conservator, but this piece gives the impression that Minnesota is awash in guardians running amok, and that is certainly not the case.

Makes me so mad people to this to other people. side note: pay back your mom for raising you before you complain about having to take care of her for $65?

This article appears to have a lot of information missing. The author established the problem, but... How are these individuals abused? Are just court-appointed guardians the issue? What about family members? What were the changes to the Minnesota laws in 2009? What is the difference between guardian and conservator and is one more of a problem than the other? Owatanabill's comment did a great job explaining the MN system. Why wasn't this information in this bush league article?

Most of these victims were from a generation that didn't think twice about pounding on their kids whenever they felt like it. Wonder if they have a different opinion today?

I would like to ask Sen. Amy Klobuchar where was her concern over Guardian Abuse in the summer of 2009 when my mother was placed under County Guardianship and suffered abuse at the nursing home the they threw her in? My family wrote to her begging for help and Sen. Klobuchar did not even have the decency to respond. We wrote to several politicians and even President Obama responded, but not Klobuchar! Sen. Klobuchar also has a front page article in my mother's hometown paper this week about Alzheimer's - really - my mother has Alzheimer's and Sen. Klobuchar sure didn’t seem concerned when my mother needed help. It is a slap in the face to read about Sen. Klobuchar’s concern over Alzheimer’s and Guardian abuse when she ignored my mother. I do believe actions speak louder than words and Sen. Klobuchar can talk the talk but where is she when people really need help?

I have worked in the nursing field since I graduated high school (10 years) I've also been a care giver to my grandmother for abou 15 years. What I have learned working in the nursing home/assisted living industry is that there are some people who really have a passion to help people and than there are the other people who are just doing it for the money. They don't give a rats behind about the patients feelings or anything. I quit working for nursing homes and assisted livings because I was so disgusted by how the facilities are ran and how some employees are treated. I also decided that I will NOT under any circumstances place my grandparents or parents in a facility. I will keep up my nursing licensure and take care of them myself when the time comes. Our parents took care of us for so many years I feel that it's my turn to take care of them.

...a call to CURB abuse?.....how bout a call to ELIMINATE abuse?.....with stiff penalties, mandatory oversight and proper screening.