Karen M. Kammholz

The Project

Karen (she/her/hers) will focus on educating and protecting the elder community in the City of Rochester and surrounding rural areas. Karen will specifically work to stop elder abuse in all forms.

Society recognizes that the poor and the elderly are vulnerable groups. When an individual is both poor and elderly, a perfect storm is created for them to be taken advantage of and abused.

Fellowship Plans

Knowledge is power. Karen will host a seminar for elderly locals to explain the very complex health care system, including Medicare and Medicaid, assisted living, and skilled care. She will explain their rights in those facilities, including quality care, the right to be heard, the right to complain, and the right to be free from harm. She will also explain what to do if harm does occur and how to get help.

A second presentation will be held for law enforcement agencies with regard to powers of attorney. Many agencies take the position that if a person signs a power of attorney, and the agent uses that power to gift to themselves, then the agent cannot be prosecuted criminally. This is not the case. Karen will impress upon the agencies that these agents need to be criminally liable in order for this fraud to stop.

Finally, Karen will work with administrations and staff of assisted living facilities and skilled nursing homes to impress upon them the need to work together to prevent abuse, to provide quality care, and most importantly respect to their residents.