Janice Lauderdale

Wealth of the Wicked
An American Tragedy of Elderly Abuse

Synopsis

This gut-wrenching tragedy is based on a true story of physical and emotional abuse by one family member perpetrated against an elderly aunt. It follows a trail of wicked greed and selfishness that lead to the unimaginable.

The victim’s niece, Danielle, makes the crucial discovery of abuse. After agonizing over the matter, she decides to do what must be done to stop it. Her brother produces a bogus living trust naming himself as sole beneficiary. He has already emptied the safe deposit box of its $70,000 cash and closed it down. Danielle files suit to retrieve the victim’s cash, which causes a bitter family split. She, nevertheless, is undeterred in seeking justice.

With the family secrets in the open, the judge makes a decision that will shock those who think they’ve seen it all. This is one book that lays out all the deeds of greed and abuse in many forms. Just as importantly, there are resources to turn to for help with the elderly. The book lists 10 signs of impending danger in selecting the caretakers of the elderly that could make their final days more comfortable and their wishes carried out. And believe it or not, would-be abusers don’t have to be strangers—in fact, they often are not.

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Janice Lauderdale's Biography

Janice M. Lauderdale’s lifelong dream was to help the helpless. In her new book, “Wealth of the Wicked: An American Tragedy of Elderly Abuse,” she fulfills that dream. She is married to her husband, Dennis, of 34 years, and they live in Los Angeles. They are the proud parents of a daughter Candace, age 27, and son Ryan, age 24. Lauderdale is a graduate of California State University Dominguez Hills where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology. She is a licensed minister at Faithful Central Bible Church in Inglewood, California, serving under the leadership of Dr. Kenneth C. Ulmer. In her Christian journey, she mentors women in the area of discipleship, and is often guest speaker at women’s seminars and conferences. She is deeply committed to the Champions in Training Institute at Faithful Central Bible Church, and the Encourager’s Ministry. Further, she served as legal guardian with Power of Attorney for her elderly aunt for several years. The sadness for the victim’s loss at the hands of a perpetrator prompted Lauderdale to write a book that could assist others in the care for the elderly. Her book puts a face on the 1.2 million elder people who are abused each year. It reveals the warning signs to watch for when others move in close to the elderly with intentions of stealing their worldly goods and abusing them. Her book also points out ways to protect them. During guardianship of her aunt, everything she knew about togetherness, mutual respect, and love was shaken. She experienced the ripping apart of her family, seam by seam. She learned that elderly abuse was epidemic, and many families sweep the subject under the rug. Instead of dropping their heads in shame, Wealth of the Wicked allows families to realize that their silence aids their perpetrators to get away with their wicked ways. The more Lauderdale thought about writing the book, the more she heard other people tell their sad stories of elderly abuse. She realized that the 1.2 million helpless seniors who are abused in one way or the other every year needed a face, and Wealth of the Wicked: An American Tragedy of Elderly Abuse delivers that face.

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