How Can I Locate A "stolen" Elderly Relative?

[mrs_overall]

In March I posted about my 93 year old aunt who has advanced cancer and was discharged from hospital with a care package in place, which seemed to have been working. I live over 100 miles away so my input has not been great but another much younger aunt has been taking care of things. My good for nothing cousin, the only child of the 93 year old has had nothing to do with her mother since Christmas. My younger aunt rang my cousin and told her to get her finger out as younger aunt was going away for a much needed holiday.
Anyway, younger aunt has returned from holiday to find a letter from my cousin saying she has put the 93 year old in a home (not local) and has got rid of her flat & possessions. The cousin has cleared off to live in France!
Younger aunt is going frantic as she cannot find out where her sister is. A check of all local nursing homes and the GP have found nothing.
Any suggestions?

[mrs_overall]

I presume social services must have been involved as a care package was arranged before she came out of hospital.
My brother is going to be speaking to them

[ummmm]

They will be the best route.

If all this has happened in two weeks it must have been preplanned.

[mrs_overall]

I am off again now but I will post any updates if I hear anything

Thank you to all for your advice

[Khandro]

I'm surprised that this can be done without the knowledge of her doctor.
The Salvation Army, are very experienced at tracing lost people I believe.

[vulcan42]

Could she be traced through her pension?

[rockyracoon]

Mrs O, if it comes to it, I can highly recommend this outfit, they traced someone for me with very little information.

http://www.ukpeoplesearch.co.uk/

[excelsior-1]

a distressing development mrs_o, i find it astonishing that a family member could do such a thing

my thoughts are with you

[Rosetta]

Yes contact Social Services but it sounds to me that the daughter has done this all on her own because of the speed and the fact the care package providers weren't notified of the change. Have you contacted residential homes as well as nursing homes, the daughter might have opted for the 'cheaper' option? Tracing her via GP may take a few weeks unfortunately

[EDDIE51]

Surely the social services should have suspected something was wrong when they went to her flat and found it stripped bare. I would have thought they would start an enquiry .

[bednobs]

in our area we have a primary care agengy (TVPCA) which keeps track of all gp's people are registered with. If you tell me what area she was in, i can find out which agency deals with GP registrations. Once you find GP, you can narrow the search down for homes. Have you checked with local crem/cemetary/FD's?

[islasmum]

Is it possible or likely that your elderly aunt died whilst other aunt was away? I know that someone earlier on in the thread wondered if she was had been killed - if she had died, say on the second day that the aunt was on holiday, the daughter would have had ample time to arrange a funeral and a house clearance. I do hope that it is not anything like this and you are able to post a "she's been found!" answer very soon.

[islasmum]

sorry, just re-read your post about auntie being put into a home - do hope you find her soon.

[woofgang]

I'd be going to the police because they have more contacts and powers in such an area. The pensions people might be an idea but they might only talk to the police. If you can get the social service "at risk" team involved it would help...my approach to them would be on the basis of "my cousin has said this but my aunt has vanished and I have no proof that she is in a care home, I do not trust my cousin, my aunt might be anywhere."

[EDDIE51]

mrs O only has the note from the cousin to say the aunt is in a home Islasmum . There is no proof , hate to even suggest this but, the aunt could have been murdered and the body disposed of by now, the 'no good' cousin has vanished without trace . If this was a newspaper story there would be all sorts of speculation. That is why I said the police must be formally informed and the aunt listed as a missing person. The police will take this seriously, the aunt is a 'Vulnerable person' not able to care of herself and almost certainly been abused. Then there is her bank account that the 'no good 'cousin has control of , a possibility / likelihood of theft or misappropriation of funds. Care homes are not cheap they need a large deposit 'up front' where has it come from , even if she is in a home ?
The more I think about this the more questions I find , there is a waiting list for all the decent care homes, what sort of place would accept her at such short notice or have a vacancy ?

[mrs_overall]

Update:

My brother made some enquiries and found her....just as she rang my younger aunt and played merry hell with her for not visiting!
She is safe and well in a nursing home (paid for by my cousin but using my aunt's money) and says she is settled. At 93 she is mentally as sharp as a tack but physically very unwell and she doesn't have long to live.

Many many thanks for all your suggestions and advice....and apologies to those who were expecting a juicy murder story as the outcome ;-)

[mazie]

Phew...I'm glad you've found her mrs_o.

[Tilly2]

Good. A happy ending.

[mrs_overall]

Thanks ladies x

[rockyracoon]

Thank God for that, I'm glad you found her x