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Enhanced Safeguards for the Elderly Are Necessary

Your Lot and Parcel

Your Lot and Parcel
Enhanced Safeguards for the Elderly Are Necessary
Jun 18, 2026
Benjamin Diaz/Jonathan Farley, Senior Advocate

The U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging reports that 1.3 million older adults and people with disabilities are under guardianship. Senators Bob Casey and Mike Braun have highlighted serious flaws in guardianship laws, citing alarming statistics from the Government Accountability Office.

In New York, the Farley family is embroiled in a legal battle over the guardianship of 84-year-old Dr. Ena Farley. Jonathan Farley claims his mother was unjustly placed under guardianship and removed from her home by police, an incident caught on video. He alleges that his brother Chris, acting as Power of Attorney and temporary guardian, is responsible for her year-long confinement in a nursing home, despite no finding of mental incompetence. Jonathan says authorities and agencies have sided with Chris, denied an independent medical evaluation, and restricted contact with Dr. Farley.

A court hearing in June will address the dispute. The Farley case highlights ongoing ethical and legal concerns in guardianship, echoing calls for stronger protection for vulnerable individuals.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCZw6IGlhtj3GuC_VlEOFCA

http://www.yourlotandparcel.org

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