Bill

Bill is an 80 year-old man that is retired and lives alone with his cat. Bill is diabetic, so he watches what he eats and checks his blood sugar level twice a day. One day Bill’s blood sugar dropped to an unsafe level—a fact that   he was unaware of because he had become confused. Bill gradually became more and more confused until his neighbors found him wandering in the street in front of his house.

The neighbors called an ambulance, and Bill was taken to the emergency room. The ER doctor referred him to a geriatric psychiatric hospital where he was evaluated and kept for a week. Once he started eating regular meals and getting his insulin regulated, Bill made a rapid recovery.

As soon as Bill began to feel better and think clearly, he was ready to go home. However, he had a problem—Bill’s niece had been appointed as his temporary guardian and conservator. Rather than returning home, he was placed in an assisted-living facility for his safety. Even though the staff at the facility took good care of Bill, he didn’t want to stay. He wanted to return to his cat, his books, and his own bed.

Bill needed an advocate in both the legal and healthcare system. We represented Bill: the guardianship was dismissed and his civil rights were restored.  We assisted him in setting up in-home services, and we maintained an ongoing relationship with him, making sure that he received the help and medical services that he needed.  Bill was able to live independently in his home and have the quality of life that he wanted.