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HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
Safe Haven laws - In theory - try to offer another way
Dear Readers, I’m not
sure how many of
you notided the news
reports about the Georgia
mother, Tysheema Brown,
who drove to Nebraska to
leave her 12-year-old son
with the authorities there.
She did this out of frus
tration, as she was at wits’
end with her son; he was
on juvenile probation and
she had tried everything to
find an adult caretaker or
environment where he could
thrive. Nothing worked.
So, she took advantage of
Nebraska’s “Safe Haven” law.
These laws exist in 47 states
and the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico. These laws per
mit parents to voluntarily
relinquish their rights to
their children.
In the majority of states,
this can only be done with-
With common sense, forethought many falls are preventable
Welcome back to “All
About Seniors”.
This week our
topic is fall prevention.
Most of us recognize how
catastrophic falls can be.
In the year 2000, seniors
age 65 and older experienced
1.8 million falls resulting in
emergency room visits cost
ing $16.4 billion in medical
and long term care costs.
Approximately 78 percent
of these falls occurred either
inside the house or outside
but near the house. (Kochera,
2002 a).
What most of us don’t
realize however is that with
a little common sense and
forethought many falls are
preventable. That’s what
we want to focus on here.
Consider having a visit with
your senior loved one with
the specific purpose of pre-
BEST
From page 4A
communicated their “need”
prior to the meeting, we
believe the citizens of
Centerville would have stood
behind them all the way. We
found in them a people will
ing to make major sacrifices
for the betterment of their
city.
It’s that kind of inspired loy
alty that must be behind the
fact some developers build
on their side of the street
versus the Warner Robins
side when in fact they could
do it cheaper through their
neighbor.
Centerville: Small in popu
lace (in comparison to the
rest in Houston County). Big
on heart!
• • •
We don’t know who, but
somebody gave Warner
Robins Mayor Donald Walker
the wrong information. He
said during his press con
ference Wednesday that he
had heard the City Council
was going to take away city
employees’ cost of living and
merit raises.
There is plenty of evidence
to suggest the councilmen
were not even vaguely head
ed in that direction. The con
sensus was at the opposite
end and two, Councilman Bob
Wilbanks and Councilman
Terry Horton, were even dead
set opposed.
In the first of two work ses
sions where the COLA and
merit raises were discussed,
it was brought up that they
were going to give'a help
ing agency a building at $1
WALKER
From page 4A
one of the few really wise
men that I know. He took Mr.
Glea Gray’s place.
Restaurant: Hal’s on Old
Ivy.
Holiday: Thanksgiving.
Actor: Gregory Peck.
Preachers: Jenny
Jackson-Adams and Billy
Key.
Pick-me-upper: Ed
Beckham (he’s a funny
man!).
• • •
The'Law'Man
Jim
Rockefeller
Attorney,
Rockefeller
Law Center
in a short time after birth;
some states permit either
parent to do this, some per
mit only the mother to do
this. Nebraska’s law, as pres
ently written, covers any
child under the age of 18.
While these laws are not
uniform, they share a simi
lar goal to lessen the suffer
ing of innocent babies from
unwanted births. Parents
can give their children away
to professionals, doctors and
"All About Seniors"
MKm®*'' <v ;: Nt
Bill Milby *
Visiting
Angels
venting falls that could result
in serious injury and long
term care.
Let’s use a checklist:
• The Patient. Are multiple
prescriptions being taken?
Has there been a change
in hearing? Or a change in
vision? Any of these can lead
to dizziness that could result
in a fall. Consider a medi
cal checkup to address these
issues. Eyes and glasses
should be checked annually
a year lease (based on the
good they do for the commu
nity). The only problem was
that the building needed a
new roof at an estimated cost
of SIO,OOO and the agency
was asking that the city foot
the bill.
At that point, Horton inter
jected: “Now you see, I have
a problem with this.”
“We’re talking about taking
a 2 percent raise away from
our employees and then we
start talking about spending
SIO,OOO here, $15,000 there,
for a building we’re going to
give somebody (oh and by
the way, what the agency
that is taking over the build
ing does is rebuild homes in
Warner Robins). If we’ve got
a crunch ... I mean, these are
the kinds of things ...
“I’m all for helping them, but
when our comptroller sits up
here and says maybe we’ve
got a problem, maybe we
ought not to give a 2 percent
raise to our employees. We
need to be watching what we
spend and taking care of our
employees.”
“Yes,” echoed Councilman
Tom Simms Jr.
During the second of those
meetings, after some more
discussion, Bob Wilbanks
point blank said to the rest of
the council: “We’re not going
to take away their COLA and
merit raises.”
There was no argument.
During Thursday’s work
session when the subject
came up on the agenda
again, Walker said there was
no question as to whether or
not they would get the COLA
and merit raises. They were
getting them.
Sports Memory: Lots of
'em, but I’d like to see Lee
Martin play high school bas
ketball one more time. Then,
there’s Pierce Staples run
ning the football and his
father, ‘Fessor, coaching the
Perry boys’ basketball team.
Newspaper People: Jim
Minter, Charlotte Perkins,
and Celestine Sibley. Jim
and Charlotte still enrich my
life as do the memories of
Celestine.
I could go on with this for
ever, but I must stop. Is this
my favorite all-time column?
No. But, it is my favorite
favorites all-time column.
hospitals, which will make
sure that the baby receives
the care a newborn deserves
- those states that allow
custody to be transferred to
someone other than a doctor
or hospital, require immedi
ate medical care.
Similarly, the recipient of
the baby receives immunity
from any type of lawsuit or
prosecution.
Why are these laws neces
sary? Sometimes, I receive
calls from people with legal
questions that are madden
ing. Frankly, none are more
disgusting than fathers
wanting to give up their
rights and responsibilities
(usually to avoid paying
child support) or mothers
who want to give away their
children to a friend.
How can a parent do this?
I am heartbroken to think
America’s Choice in Jfotnecare,
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... because seeing hazards is
our first line of defense.
• The Clothes. Often
seniors are prone to wearing
floppy slippers and/or long
or loose fitting robes, some
times untied. Either of these
can present a tripping haz
ard. Consider buying well fit
ting shoes with Velcro straps
or at least new slippers that
fit well and have non slip
soles. These combined with
a nice new bathrobe that is
kept tied and doesn’t drag on
the floor where it could get
caught on furniture will pay
dividends in reduced falls.
• The House.
At that point Wilbanks
pointed out to the mayor
that he was right. There had
never been any question in
that regard. He added there
had not been “a man iin this
room" who supported taking
away their COLA and merit
raises, “and there never
was.”
He paused and looked
around the room at that point.
Again there was no argu
ment.
Talked about the raises?
Yes. Discussed them even?
Yes. That’s their job as we all
know. (We do want them to
do their job, right?) But taking
them away? No.
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about the unwanted child
who probably has little
chance of climbing out of
the mucky family he or she
was born into.
On the other side are those
instances where Family
Services intervene, because
a child is either in trouble
with juvenile court, are being
abused, or are not properly
cared for. The problem we
see in these situations, as
perhaps with Brown’s son,
is that by the time Family
Services intervenes, a child
is ruined.
Or, case workers are so
overwhelmed they lack the
time and/or resources to pro
vide the at-risk parents with
the support and direction to
create a nurturing environ
ment for a child.
In the truly tragic cases,
a child is placed in a broken
0 Are commonly used
items stored on shelves that
are too low or too high?
Reposition these to more eas
ily reachable spaces.
o Tidiness can be as
much of a problem with mom
as with a teen. This will take
some TLC to get and keep
things in order but well
worth the effort if it prevents
a fall.
0 Be sure there are grab
handles to assist in getting
in and out of the tub. And, a
seat and non-skid mat for in
the tub.
0 Be on the lookout for
furniture that has a seat
Hopefully whoever planted
those seeds of discontent will
get their facts straight the
next time.
And it’s a good thing the
mayor is back in charge
where he no longer is fed
rumors and innuendos about
what s really been going on.
- Don Moncrief/for the
Editorial Board
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foster care system, where
the child is further abused
or neglected.
Children borne into these
circumstances often have a
look of “lost souls.” There
is dullness to the way they
look and approach life. Their
chances of success are over
before life even offers any
opportunities.
Safe Haven laws, in theo
ry, try to offer another way.
In Georgia, a newborn (less
than one week old) can be
surrendered to a “medical
facility,” without a mother
being charged with crimi
nal liability. The facility is
required to check the health
of the infant and notify
Family Services, which will
assume legal custody of the
infant within six hours of
medical discharge.
As with any law, there are
ing position which is too low.
Getting in and out can cause
a strain and a fall.
0 Check all stairs to be
sure there are useable grab
rails.
0 Check for any throw
rugs that don’t have non
skid bottom surfaces. Get rid
of them or replace them.
D Inspect all hallways for
clutter and proper lighting.
0 Install night lights to
illuminate walkways to the
bathroom.
0 Reposition any exten
sion cords that are near traf
fic areas.
This by no means is a com
plete list. Take it for what it
is, a good start. If you aren’t
comfortable doing this for
your loved one, consider ask
ing for help.
Some seniors’ organiza
tions, including Visiting
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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2008
unintended consequences.
What happens to the rights
of a father? Does he get a
say in his child being given
away? Will such a law lower
the bar for parents strug
gling with the concept of
a lifetime raising a special
needs child?
Or, will a 37-year-old
mother from Georgia drive
all the way to Nebraska to
give away her 12-year-old
son?
Local attorney Jim
Rockefeller owns the
Rockefeller Law Center and
is a former Houston Cointy
Chief Assistant District
Attorney and a former Miami
Prosecutor. Visit www.rocke
fellerlawcenter.com to submit
confidential legal questions
and to review former arti
cles and Frequently Asked
Questions.
Angels, will provide this ser
vice free of charge for your
loved one.
Ideas for this article are
based in part on the Temple
University Fall Prevention
Project.
Bill Milby is a retired 30 yr.
veteran executive with Blue
Bird Corporation and current
Director of Visiting Angels
of Macon, a non-medical,
living assistance service for
seniors. You can reach him
at wmilby@visitingangels.
com if you have questions
or comments about this col
umn.
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478-746-7539
800-528-7866
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