Forcing elderly residents to move was despicable

Forcing elderly residentsto move was despicable
EDITOR:
For several years, there has been a dispute between the Wrobleskys of Greene Township and the Ohio Department of Health and the Area XI Agency on Aging as to whether they needed to have a state license to have elderly people renting small apartments in their home. No citations have been issued or court actions taken.
On Dec. 14, two health department people were called to the home to tour with a man who calls himself an ombudsman (advocate) for the elderly in response to an anonymous complaint about the home and the condition of its residents. Within a few minutes, a call was made to Trumbull County Probate Court for an order to remove all of the residents, against their will and take them to St. Joseph's Hospital for examination. Ambulances and sheriff's deputies were brought in. In spite of their objections and those of the children and guardians of some, they were told they had no choice. For people in their 80s and 90s, this was a frightening, traumatic experience.
They were literally hauled from the place where they felt safe and cared for. All to force the Wrobleskys to get the license.
Since the accusations of poor treatment, abuse, and unsanitary conditions were made in order to get the order from Judge Swift, many family members of present and past residents have come forward to dispute what was charged. Those people are doctors, nurses, teachers, social workers, elected officials, and other health care workers who have been in the home on literally hundreds of occasions over the past several years right up to the day of the inspection, and have never, ever witnessed any of the conditions that were alleged. What was charged was not true! Would these people allow their parents to live under those conditions?
My own father was there for several months in 2004. My wife and I made many unannounced visits, and always found the conditions excellent. After a very bad experience with a nursing home, we felt really blessed to get dad a place in the Wroblesky home. He was happy there and always got excellent care until the day he died.
To force eight elderly, dependent people from their homes and tell them they could not come back the week before Christmas is a cruel, despicable act by the court and an agency that are supposed to look out for their welfare. At the hospital, no signs of physical or emotional neglect were found. Some of the residents were able to temporarily move into homes with family, others were dumped in nursing homes among strangers to spend Christmas alone.
I say shame on Judge Swift and his staff. Shame on Area XI Agency on Aging for using these helpless senior citizens to force an issue that should have been settled in the proper court with due process and legal notice. I hope they had a merry Christmas, I know many who did not!
Since this letter was written, one of the residents who was forced to leave her home and was placed in a nursing home has refused to eat. She died Christmas day.
TOM SMITH
Ravenna
Here's a wish list for Youngstown schools
EDITOR:
As a Youngstown resident, taxpayer and member of the Youngstown STARS program I've made a wish list of what I'd like from the Youngstown Board of Education. I hope I'm not asking for too much.
U A basic course in money and finance from 8th grade through high school that explains the hows, whys, etc., of checking accounts, credit cards, investing and similar matters.
U A Chess Club from 4th through 12th grade to stimulate the thinking power of the brain cells.
U A music program for all students, not just for 20 to 30 singers and dancers.
U Pay a retainer fee to Ode Aduma to teach the board how to gather free publicity.
U A free-for-a year pass allowing all board members to visit schools on a more frequent basis.
WILLIAM D. GRAEBING
Youngstown