Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes? (Who Watches the Watchers?)

Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes?

(Who Watches the Watchers?)

Janis Landis

Final Exit Network

Approved for 1 general CLE credit

More and more elders are dependent on third parties for their daily care. They are also living longer and have more resources (assets and medical insurance) than prior generations. Unfortunately, these factors have led to a major reshaping of elder care facilities. Long term care institutions and hospices are now almost entirely profit driven and often owned by investors rather than health care professionals. The result is that those who we have trusted to watch this vulnerable population have become focused on the bottom line, to the detriment of patients.

Abuses include: 

• Cut backs in staff
• Unnecessary use of drugs to sedate patients
• Inadequate pain care
• Unnecessary treatments
• Identity theft and fraud by staff
• Illegal third party debt collection

The Elder Law Attorney can and should provide legal counseling to the client and family re patient rights and concerns on an on-going basis. Doing so will help ensure early identification, remedial action and where appropriate compensation.

Janis Landis

My professional career was spent at the Internal Revenue Service. Upon retirement, I turned my attention to the only topic less popular than taxes: death. I started actively volunteering at the Final Exit Network. FEN believes, as I do, that all competent adults have the right to make their own end of life choices. I served as President of FEN from 2015 until June 2019. I continue to serve on the Board of Directors.