Stand Against Elder Abuse In Memory of Dr. Flege

Stand Against Elder Abuse In Memory of Dr. Flege

Started
December 17, 2016
Petition Closed
This petition had 1,509 supporters

Why this petition matters

Started by Free Dr. Flege

Stand Against Elder Abuse -- In Memory of Dr. Flege

ELDER ABUSE affects 1/10 Americans over the age of 60. The perpetrators are most often family members. Elder abuse includes: Physical Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Financial Abuse, Isolation and Denying an elderly person amenities he or she can afford. Get the basics here. https://www.ncoa.org/public-policy-action/elder-justice/elder-abuse-facts/

Who is John Blain Flege MD JD (DOB: 05/10/1929)?

https://med.uc.edu/docs/default-source/Surgery-Docs/flege-vp.pdf?sfvrsn=2

"'Dr. Flege is one of the best teaching professors in the cardiac world,' says Randall Wolf, MD, a fellow professor of surgery at UC. 'He has mentored many surgeons--including me. Dr. Flege is very highly regarded as one of the finest thinkers and innovators in cardiac surgery.'"

"Dr. Flege founded the cardiac surgery program at Christ Hospital in 1969. He continued to raise the level of surgical care in Cincinnati by revamping the cardiac surgery program at Jewish Hospital (1978) and founding the programs at University Hospital (1982) and St. Elizabeth Hospital (1983)--all of which continue to excel today."

"Despite the fact he's been practicing and developing innovative cardiac surgery techniques for 50 years, John Flege, MD, remains a startlingly modest guy who [worked] tirelessly every day to put the best interests of his patients first."

Harper, A. (2006, March). Cincinnati Cardiac Icon Wins 'Lifetime Hero' Award. Retrieved from http://healthnews.uc.edu/publications/findings/?/1552/1558/ .

Dr. Flege is a victim of ELDER ABUSE including Physical Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Sexual Abuse, and Financial Abuse. He has been isolated from from family and friends. He is being denied amenities he can afford. The perpetrators are two family members.

Dr. Flege has been under the care of countless physicians, many of them at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati. He has has complained that he is not permitted to see his long time primary care physician without one of the abusers present. He was admitted to Christ Hospital twice in less than a year for hip fractures, both of which occurred at facilities under suspicious circumstances. Both required hip replacement surgery and inpatient rehabilitation. Both injuries involved unnecessary drugs known to increase fall risk in the elderly. The abusers have asked Dr. Flege's surgical colleagues for hospital admissions which have been granted despite the absence of a doctor-patient relationship. Alarming. 

Since being removed from his home about 5 months ago, Dr. Flege has resided at FIVE facilities including The Kenwood by Senior Star (where he sustained his second hip fracture in less than a year), Marjorie P. Lee (where his other hip was fractured within 24 hours of an earlier admission), Kenwood Terrace Care Center (Premier Health Care Management) and Arden Courts of Kenwood (HCR Manorcare). Facilities have reportedly evicted him, refusing to tolerate abuse of Dr. Flege and their staffs.

Additionally, during this time period, he has been under the 24/7 care of numerous underpaid, undertrained caregivers/nursing aides/nurses from Synergy Home Care, Queen City Home Care, Bright Star Home Care and Home Instead franchises in Cincinnati. Caregivers have also found themselves targets of abuse. Many have quit or been taken off the job by their employers. Others have been fired for speaking out against Dr. Flege's abuse. 

Adult Protective Services, The Council on Aging, ProSeniors, The Eldercare Ombudsman, Cincinnati Police Dep't, Ohio Dep't of Health and Medicare/HHS, among others are also aware of Dr. Flege's abuse. Dr. Flege pays lawyers at Katz Teller who are seemingly being used against him. He has repeatedly complained that he is being left out of meetings regarding his financial affairs. A family member claims that it is necessary to exclude him because "he might say something embarrassing". His investment advisors at Fort Washington Investment Advisors are aware of the situation. His accountants at Mowry, Marty & Bain are aware of the situation. RED FLAGS are everywhere. But the ABUSE continues.

Sadly, Elder Abuse IS vastly under-reported, especially by physicians. A reasonable person with access to the medical record or knowledge of the history of events, in this case, would suspect elder abuse. 

WHO MUST REPORT ELDER ABUSE IN OHIO?
Any attorney, physician, osteopath, podiatrist,
chiropractor, dentist, psychologist, hospital employee, licensed
nurse, ambulatory health facility employee, home health agency
employee, adult care facility employee, nursing home employee,
residential care facility employee, home for the aging employee,
senior service provider, peace officer, coroner, clergyman,
community mental health facility employee, and a person
engaged in social work or counseling.

WHAT IS THE STANDARD OF KNOWLEDGE? Reasonable cause to believe that an adult is being abused, neglected, or exploited, or is in a condition which is the result of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

https://www.rainn.org/pdf-files-and-other-documents/Public-Policy/Legal-resources/2009-Mandatory-Report/Ohio09E.pdf

Let's call on the doctors, lawyers, facilities and agencies involved in this case to FREE DR FLEGE

And let's call on physicians and other healthcare providers, hospitals and nursing homes, to REPORT ELDER ABUSE as required under Ohio Law. 

If you have any tips on this case, advice or comments, please leave a message here or email FreeDrFlege@gmail.com Up to date Information as to Dr. Flege's probable whereabouts is available upon request. Please directly notify law enforcement and relevant authorities where appropriate. WITHOUT PROPER REPORTING OF ELDER ABUSE, THERE IS LITTLE THAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP THESE VULNERABLE CITIZENS. 

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Decision Makers

  • Elizabeth WarrenSenator
  • Michael Edwards MDUC Medical Center
  • Bill Sena JrFort Washington Investment Advisors
  • Gregory Rouan MDUCMC - Internal Medicine
  • Jody BrantKatz Teller Law Firm