elderlycare

Phillipa Carey is happy to have her grandmother in her care after Ingrid Carey was safely removed from the Home Away From Home Senior Care Facility. This resolution comes after a tense week filled with allegations of elder abuse and financial exploitation directed at the facility’s administrator, Mervie Knowles.

In a social media post, Phillipa showed Mrs Carey having a meal after she was released from the hospital following her release from Knowles’ care. “I’m relieved to have her back, and we’re ready to face any further challenges together,” Phillipa said.

State of Play

An agreement has been reached to return the house to Phillipa’s custody. Knowles has been given a week to vacate the premises, during which time the Carey family will prepare to move back in.

Knowles, though is requesting $20,000 for renovations she would have completed while staying in Philippa’s family home.

“We will fight that claim of $20,000 because some things they did and went about were done the wrong way, and we want to get justice on every part,” she told ZNS Northern Service.

The big story

Knowles, who had claimed that Ms. Carey willingly granted her power of attorney and transferred her assets, including her house, life insurance policy, and National Insurance Board (NIB) benefits, is now at the center of a controversy. The allegations came to light following a report on ZNS, which prompted the community to rally in support of Phillipa, who was previously barred from seeing her grandmother and accessing the family home.

The Ministry of Social Services intervened on Thursday, announcing a formal investigation into the accusations. By Friday, the Carey family presented an original power of attorney document debunking Knowles’ claims and granting Phillipa the legal right to care for her grandmother.

Why it matters

This news story reminds us of the importance of advocacy for the rights and well-being of the elderly and the power of a community’s support in the face of injustice.

Mervie Knowles, the woman at the center of a Grand Bahama care facility allegation is responding to serious claims that she took advantage of a woman suffering from a form of mental illness.

Though Knowles was found living in the woman’s house, she says her elder resident Ingrid Carey was competent when she signed documents to hand over the residence, which differs from claims made by Carey’s grand daughter Phillipa Carey.

Knowles further claimed that Philippa showed no interest in Mrs Carey who was found by Social Services living alone, without electricity, and in unhealthy conditions. She claimed a doctor saw Carey and told her directly in the presence of a lawyer that she wished for Knowles to have the property instead of Phillipa.

Carey has not been officially diagnosed with dementia but friends along with Phillipa speak of a long-standing mental illness.

The lawyer involved in the signing over Kevin Russell said he met with Mrs Carey and Knowles inside his vehicle, “I asked in no uncertain term, ‘Are you sure? Is this what you want and she (Ingrid Knowles) told me, ‘Yes this is what I want.’

“In addition to that, she also told me she would like to also sign a power of attorney over to Mrs Knowles so that Mrs Knowles can take care of her personal affairs,” Russell told ZNS Northern Service.

When reporters asked Knowles if she would return the house, she defiantly said, “Mrs Ingrid told me no…I’m just following her wish.

But, Attorney Russell said if Mrs Carey wishes to retract her decision, the documents are not stamped nor recorded. “I guess she can destroy it and that would be it.”

Philippa said she has taken the matter to court.

Meanwhile, the Royal Bahamas Police Force has been sanctioned to investigate the matter.

The Ministry of Social Services, along with the Ministry for Grand Bahama, have initiated an investigation into serious allegations made against a private elderly care facility on Grand Bahama Island.

The accusations have garnered enough concern to prompt a protest outside of a private residence and now the involvement of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

The big picture

Phillipa Carey, the granddaughter of an elderly care resident called for help after she accused a caregiver of taking advantage of her grandmother Ingrid Carey who operates the elderly care facility on the island.

Phillipa alleged that Mrs Carey has dementia but Mervie Knowles became her power of attorney, moved into the woman’s residence, and took her NIB pension and survivor’s benefit.

Mervie Knowles admitted to reporters that she did move into the woman’s home but that Carey, gave her permission to do so.

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What the Ministry of Social Services is saying

Since protesters demanded the issue be resolved, the Ministry of Social Services and the Ministry of Grand Bahama have become involved.

“While we understand the desire for swift inquiry, we must allow the investigative process to proceed so that all facts can be thoroughly examined.

“We are committed to ensuring that in the case where there is egregious behavior and wrongdoing, those responsible are held accountable under the law, and we will take all necessary measures to protect the rights and dignity of our senior citizens.

“We ask for the community’s patience and cooperation as the investigation unfolds. The Ministry of Social Services will continue to monitor the situation closely, and we will keep the public informed of any significant developments.”

Protesters gathered outside of the home of a resident living facility in Grand Bahama, desperate to get answers after a caretaker was accused of taking an elderly woman’s home, becoming her power of attorney and allegedly taking her NIB pension and survivor’s benefit.

Scores of protestors shouted, “Mervie gat to go, Mervie gat to go” demanding that Mervie Knowles, owner, and operator of Home Away from Home Shelter return the home to Ingrid Carey, her elderly resident.

Demonstrators said they were touched by the story that was originally aired on ZNS Northern Service, and accused Knowles of greed.

“We have a problem in Freeport. Ms Mervie has three locations,” a woman told ZNS Northern Service. “She takes out a special burial insurance on all of her residents.”

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Philippa Carey, Mrs Carey’s granddaughter, discovered Knowles living in their home when she returned to Grand Bahama from another island where she is employed and has nowhere to live when she visits the island.

“It’s not fair to me because that’s the only place I lived my whole life,” Phillipa said in an earlier newscast.

But Knowles is claiming that Mrs Carey, who suffers from dementia, “pressured her to take the home” or she would “give it to someone else.”

A grandson of Mrs Carey believes Knowles’ business license should be taken away and she should be held accountable. They are now questioning who could be a part of a scheme to assist Knowles in acquiring the home, NIB pension, and survivor’s benefit.

One demonstrator said his grandfather also lived in the home before he died; He claimed his family was denied access to him and Knowles was collecting the NIB cheques. ” We tried fighting the situation, but were getting the runaround.”

They are calling for an investigation into the matter.