11 December 2013

A Merry Christmas for Willi Berchau

As you may have read in a previous blog entry on guardianship dangers, I mentioned the story of how Willi Berchau unfortunately got caught into the vicious cycle of Florida's guardianship laws, all over selling a house for less than market value that got the attention of a social worker.  Unfortunately, guardianships can be commenced against an adult for any reason and often times without warning.
 
I just found out via another ABC Action News article that Willi has been freed from the restrictive confines of guardianship!  With that said, Willi is now a free man - free to go wherever he chooses, free to obtain a Florida driver license or ID card, free to exercise the right to vote, and so on.  After all, a person under guardianship, especially a plenary guardianship, loses all rights that we take for granted.
 
Now Willi can enjoy the biggest Christmas present that he has been waiting for:  Being released from the confines of Florida's guardianship laws.  And a special thanks to ABC Action News and its I-Team reporter, Adam Walser, for exposing the flaws that are part of Florida's current guardianship laws.
 
After all, Florida's guardianship laws need to be reformed.  And our legislators in Tallahassee can make it happen when the Florida Legislature convenes which is just around the corner.  We can't let our older Floridians live in fear of being caught into the vicious cycle of guardianship.
 
Score a victory for elders' rights in Florida!