(415) 299-0924

                                                                               barbaraberger85@yahoo.com

 

We specialize in helping Bay Area families make informed decisions regarding facilities for their elderly loved ones.

 

We also specialize in helping parents make informed decisions of teen residential treatment centers, wilderness programs, and  therapeutic boarding schools throughout the US.

 

Before making a payment, know if a facility has a history of bankruptcy, or litigation.

Elder Abuse 

Elder abuse is an intentional, negligent act by a person towards an older adult putting the adult at risk. We uncover the facts, and document evidence for presentation to the appropriate authorities, or court.

Victims may be isolated, cognitively impaired, too afraid or ashamed to speak up. Often, the abuser is someone close to them. Types of abuse include physical, emotional,  psychological, financial, sexual, and neglect. 

Physical abuse is use of force causing pain, injury or distress.

Emotional or psychological abuse is used to gain power through control and manipulation causing mental pain, fear, or distress. 

Financial abuse is the illegal, unauthorized, or improper use of funds, home, etc. 

Sexual abuse is forced, or non-consensual sexual contact of any kind.

Neglect occurs when a caregiver fails to protect an older adult from harm resulting in serious injury or illness. 

 

"Trouble Teen" Treatment Centers

In a parent's darkest hour and under extreme stress, a child is sent to a treatment center without due diligence.

The “troubled teen” industry is a network of for-profit youth programs, therapeutic boarding schools, residential treatment centers, religious academies, wilderness programs, and drug rehabilitation centers. The facilities are operated by private companies, nonprofits, or faith-based groups, and they promise to help youth with problems related to behavior, addiction, and other issues.

There is no federal regulation or oversight of these programs, nor are there consistent regulations among states. Despite numerous allegations of horrendous abuse that date back decades, they continue to operate in a largely unregulated way. 

In 2008 the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) published the report “Residential Programs: Selected Cases of Death, Abuse, and Deceptive Marketing.” The report “identified thousands of allegations of abuse, some of which resulted in death at residential programs across the country, and in American-owned and American operated facilities abroad.”