My grandmother signed both a Durable Power of Attorney, AND a General Power of Attorney but the DHS wouldn't let that stop them from steamrolling over my grandmother's rights. In these documents, she assigned my mother Linda to look after her affairs, both medical, and financial. It was, and continues to be her wish to have my mother the one who looks after her. But, the DHS has just ignored this. They completely disregard any wishes of those they supposedly "protect".

Now, my grandmother didn't have these in place before going to the hospital. But, at the recommendation of my grandmother's attorney, we did get the documents in place promptly. In fact, the documents were signed by my grandmother, and notarized by a hospital employee (and notary) named Tompsie Smith. Then, about 3 or 4 hours later, the DHS went to Judge Klotz, and got their first order against my grandma.

Another individual named Victoria May (also a victim of the Iowa Dept. of Human Services) had assigned her brother Terry as her "agent" with a power of attorney. She did it nearly a year before DHS took over her life, and they too have steamrolled right over her rights.

What should really concern you her is that if the government can just come along and take over all aspects of these women's lives, then what assurances do you have that the same won't happen to you?

Remember, both women had legaly drafted powers of attorney in place, and still, a government agency came in, and violated these. How can we continue as a free society, when the government can just come in and do with us what they want? They pick on the weakest of the population, the poor, the children, and now the elderly.

Who knows what segment of the population they will target next. Perhaps they will go after middle age people and force them to get a colonoscopy for their "own good"...don't laugh, it's possible!

This so-called, elder abuse initiative, fails to take into consideration that the people they are supposedly "protecting" are American Citizens, and as such have certain rights which must be respected. Since we've gotten into the testimony of various people in my grandmother's case, I have noticed that whenever a socialworker, gets on the stand, and my grandmother's attorney asks them about whether or not they informed my grandmother of her rights, they just act like she's speaking a foreign language! They really don't understand that people have rights! Not only the DHS "people", but also one social worker from Mercy Hospital named Susie Harms... now Susie Davis...said that she didn't know the patient bill of rights. She couldn't even repeat them in general terms when asked by my grandmother's attorney!