(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Gabe Winant is the author of The Next Shift: The Fall of Industry and the Rise of Health Care in Rust Belt America. This short shred my heart into a million pieces. There are no grand solutions, but there are countless little ways to make our lives better. Edith + Eddie, a short documentary vying for an Academy Award Sunday, is a gripping look at a couple in their 90s caught up in an intense family conflict over caring for an aging parent. But Hill and Harrison said they wanted to stay together. And Jessica Niesen facilitated that. Her home wasnt sold until after her death; there was no attempt to plunder her estate by lawyers or family members. I have only one line: It rebroke me. Bull crap! Hill is black and Harrison is white. I think this is an important story, Cher said. It was meant to be temporary, my grandmothers separation from Eddie, until they were able to place them somewhere together, said Los Mosby, another granddaughter. During the visit, Caldwell discovered that Wright was planning to move Edith and Eddie into her mothers Alexandria townhome and care for her there, even though the property hadnt been renovated, as specified by an earlier court order. Cher's involvement in Edith Hill's story has extended over several months. March 1, 2018. Cher Promises To Help 96-Year-Old Woman With Dementia Return Home. Learn how your comment data is processed. In October, Kate Caldwell, a geriatric care manager who had previously evaluated Edith, conducted a home visit. Asked to investigate the circumstances under which Edith was wed, Bushman, the guardian ad litem, wrote in a court filing that he determined that Ms. Niesen, in a phone interview, said she is still gathering facts and has an upcoming appointment to meet Hill and Harrison. It was nominated. Her intent was to focus on their love story. Barber insists that wasnt true and that the couple spoke every day once she was in Florida sometimes multiple times a day. In an interview, Niesen said she had no reason to contest Edith and Eddies marriage because it wasnt hurting anybody and it was making them happy.. Researchers, product developers, and members of the media are eager to understand the nature of care work and make a difference. Not just a bad attorney, an utterly insincere "person", lacking a moral compass and without compassion. It ends months later with the couple being separated by Ediths court-appointed legal guardian, with police on the scene, and Edith taken off abruptly to Florida. It brought to the surface all of my feelings, all of my many many feelings. Once they do the repairs and she comes back home, it's going to be bittersweet because she only wanted to be with him.. We have a group specifically to connect you so we can bring about change. Shockingly, Eddie died only a few weeks later. But in a document filed with the Alexandria court on July 11, 2011, Edith registered opposition. It was concerning, since Im the one who was legally responsible for her and I didnt know what was going on, Niesen said. Theyre trying to say it was some abuse or something, said Hubbard, Ediths brother. In an interview, Niesen said she had no reason to contest Edith and Eddies marriage because it wasnt hurting anybody and it was making them happy., But she had other concerns. They really are. But that didnt happen. Your email address will not be published. Subscribe to KHN's free Morning Briefing. In that capacity, his job was to oversee the families arrangements, and was involved with her case, off and on, for several years. There was a woman in my Fathers life who (in my opinion) took advantage of him. I also contacted Ediths independent guardian and several lawyers involved with this case and reviewed Virginia court records, including a series of orders involving Edith between 2011 and 2015. Director, producer and editor Laura Checkoway, an Ann Arbor native, began her career as a writer and journalist. The recent marriage of two nonagenarians might seem romantic but the family of 96-year-old Edith Hill doesn't think so. Could her distress have been alleviated, if she had received reassurance rather than being torn between conflicting factions? The court appoints a third-party, Jessica Niesen, to act as Edith's guardian. Long. Edith was gaining weight, getting physical therapy, taking all her medications and was well adjusted, according to her court report. Hill is black and Harrison was white. To contact Judith Graham with a question or comment,click here. Learn how your comment data is processed. (Yates isnt mentioned in the documentary. I wanted him to be inour home, surrounded by loved ones, close enough that my Sister could come visit and have a place to stay if she wanted. Similarly, Wright reportedly declined to let Niesen see Edith or tell her when she was taking Edith to the doctor, according to the appointed guardians court filings. He can call her? I reached out to Laura Checkoway, the films director, who told me in an initial interview that she became interested in chronicling the romance of Edith and Eddie in the summer of 2014 when they were reportedly the oldest interracial newlyweds in America. While there are numerous issues to be sorted out, including questions. Wright was not acting in the best interest of Ms. Hill at that point, because she was doing what she wanted to do and not working with her other co-guardian.. The Associated Press is reporting a legal dispute in Alexandria, Va., between Hill's daughter Patricia Barber and Barber's sister, Rebecca Wright, who took their mother to marry 95-year-old Eddie Harrison. In a telephone interview, Cher expressed frustration that Eddie and Edith had been split up against their wishes. I found out after, after he was gone. But that, a judge ruled in February 2014, was impossible unless the home was renovated since the only bathroom was up a steep flight of stairs a significant fall risk for the increasingly frail older woman. Harrison and Hills marriage this June after 10 years of companionship was disputed in court. A judge appointed a new guardian for Hill to protect her interests, removing Barber and Wright as guardians, but left the marriage intact. You remove your feelings from it all and do what is best for your loved one. Unfortunately, Edith is forced to leave behind her home and Eddie, who dies shortly after her departure. Ediths transfer was scheduled for Dec. 6 but Wright failed to deliver her mother to a location agreed upon in advance, according to Niesen. (Although Wright claimed a doctor had seen her mother and agreed to the medication changes, when Caldwell checked, she learned that wasnt true, according to the report.). End of story for some viewers, maybe. Harrison became distressed after his wife and longtime companion, 96-year-old Edith Hill, was taken away, Wright said. You should never work in that field again! That year, a court declared Edith incompetent and named Yates her legal guardian, according to court records. Somehow Ms. Niesen learned how to be an attorney, while still retaining ignorance and general stupidity. It was meant to be temporary, my grandmothers separation from Eddie, until they were able to place them somewhere together, said Lois Mosby, another granddaughter. Dad and I had conversations about it. At the start of each day, he . I refused to consider a hospice facility, as that woman found out when she mentioned it in my presence. In 2014, Yates, 77, gave up guardianship because it was getting to be a bit much and there was a lot of confusion going on, she said, allowing simmering family conflicts to reemerge. Was it Barber, the daughter in Florida, who believed Edith needed what she felt was a more reliable living situation? My sister was treated beautiful when she went down to Florida.. This 30 minute documentary brought out all of my bitterness for the assholes in life that care only about being right above the person they are supposed to love. A pack of wolves, in sheep clothing I bet. Similarly, Wright reportedly declined to let Niesen see Edith or tell her when she was taking Edith to the doctor, according to the appointed guardians court filings. Yates considered moving her mother to an assisted living facility, according to the geriatric care managers report, leading to more family division. Jessica Niesen. The court placed her as the guardian of a woman she never met in person, never knew on a personal level, only knew her paperwork. He actually gave his life to this effort, Wright said of Harrison and his battle to have his union with Hill recognized and to live with his wife. Now that Edith was married, there was no question of her leaving Eddie and returning immediately to Florida, Barber said in an interview. "I think this is an important story," Cher said. I started wondering about questions the film failed to address. She successfully took her away from her spouse, against her will, in the last weeks of his life, and has not had the decency to either get Edith home to say goodbye nor arranged appropriate funeral services. We encourage organizations to republish our content, free of charge. John A. Hartford Foundation, Sabrinas Parents Love Her. Her home wasnt sold until after her death; there was no attempt to plunder her estate by lawyers or family members. Join the Navigating Aging Facebook Group. While they were fond of each other and spoke frequently over the phone, they saw each other relatively infrequently in the intervening years. Police were called to the home during a traumatic 40-minute negotiation to convince Hill to leave, Wright said. Several close relatives including Ediths brother, Curtis Hubbard, her daughter Barber and two of her granddaughters said in interviews they werent told about the wedding in June 2014 until after the fact, prompting a fresh round of mistrust and recrimination. She is still a lawyer who is an expert in elder care. It was beautiful to see Edith and Eddie together after living through almost 100 years of history in Virginia. Jessica only wanted to get paid and didnt see anything behind the harm what was done. Some family members and legal experts thought not, since Edith had been declared incapacitated. Harrison died in December, just weeks after Hill was taken away to Florida on the recommendation of a court-appointed guardian, but a custody dispute continued over who should care for Hill and where she should live. I hope she loses her clientele over what she did. Shell be back in two weeks? Harrison stayed in Virginia. A Tale of Love, Family Conflict And Battles Over Care For An Aging Mother. He had open heart surgery, five hours from his loved ones because the VA is flawed and lacks communication that would be beneficial to the families of loved ones requiring services. Did Edith fully understand what was happening at that point? After that, it was hard keeping track of where my mother was, said Barber. Your email address will not be published. Meanwhile, because the co-guardianship arrangement had become untenable, an independent guardian for Edith was appointed by the court Jessica Niesen, an attorney in Fairfax, Va. Court records indicate that Hill suffers from mild dementia. I know this may be a black mark on my heart and soul, but I sincerely hope Karma pays a long and painful visit to this so-called caregivers life. "Once they do the repairs and she comes back home, it's going to be bittersweet because she only wanted to be with him.". Shame on you and I wish no good comes to you as a result of what you did. Vacation? Wright said he was heartbroken when Hill was moved to Florida and gloomy about his prospects of ever seeing her again. Jessica didnt seem to have a care in the world about them when she showed up and how she spoke to them was awful. Wright is Hills daughter. Click the button below to go to KFFs donation page which will provide more information and FAQs. Who had Ediths bests interests at heart? Thats the other story of Edith+Eddie. This film is distorted and hurtful, said Michelle Davis, one of Ediths granddaughters. But family disputes about how to care for frail, vulnerable elderly parents are my territory, inevitably complicated and full of unresolved emotional issues. One of Hill's daughters says the marriage was improper and that Hill's estate is now in question. ). But the Meltdowns Are Too Much. Edith Hill and Eddie Harrison in their Annandale, Virginia home. Pure wickedness and evil. She also opposes the idea of a postnuptial agreement, which would deny Harrison access to Hill's estate. The custody case over Hill remains ongoing, despite the judge's order that Hill be returned to Alexandria. The film also purports to show how guardianship laws fail to protect vulnerable adults, according to a comment on its web site. Yates considered moving her mother to an assisted living facility, according to the geriatric care managers report, leading to more family division. Its important to note, not everything on khn.org is available for republishing. It was concerning, since Im the one who was legally responsible for her and I didnt know what was going on, Niesen said. Do you regularly tell lies? Caregivers have wisdom and experience to share. By late November, Niesen said in an interview shed become convinced that Ediths health and well-being were in danger and that Wright had no intention of cooperating with her attempts to oversee Ediths welfare. Since tying the knot, both Edith and Eddie have experienced an awakening; they have a new reason to get up in the morning. The SCAN Foundation, Judith Graham: In December 2013, court records show, a geriatric care manager determined that Edith required extensive, round-the-clock assistance with all routine activities. Her goal, she said in an interview, was to remove Edith from an unsafe environment, not to separate her from Eddie, whom shed invited to join Edith in Florida. Felt. Harrison stayed in Virginia. Winter storm update: Large system now heading towards Que. Now that Edith was married, there was no question of her leaving Eddie and returning immediately to Florida, Barber said in an interview. That year, a court declared Edith incompetent and named Yates her legal guardian, according to court records. As a columnist who covers aging, Im familiar with such stories. A son, Lewis McDaniel, died in early 2012.). I started wondering about questions the film failed to address. It begins in the fall of 2014 with Edith Hill, 96, and Eddie Harrison, 95, who were married only a few months before, enjoying a series of intimate moments dancing together, holding hands, exercising and chatting comfortably. All the people and records I consulted made it clear that the sisters for years had bickered over what was best for their mother. You reap what you soe. . I trongly guided the conversation because it was my intention to bring my Dad to my home to die, not put him away in a hospice facility just because it was convenient for one or two people to maybe visit him for a few minutes at their convenience. Cher said she would pay to fix up the Alexandria home to make sure it's properly equipped for a 96-year-old. Edith and Eddie had met more than a decade before the events depicted in the documentary, when they happened to play the lottery together and ended up sharing $5,000 in winnings. This film is distorted and hurtful, said Michelle Davis, one of Ediths granddaughters. But family disputes about how to care for frail, vulnerable elderly parents are my territory, inevitably complicated and full of unresolved emotional issues. People are assholes. While there are numerous issues to be sorted out, including questions. I cannot express enough in my own words how much this review hit home for me. Some family members and legal experts thought not, since Edith had been declared incapacitated. Wright says Alexandria is the best place for her mother, and the place that her mother says she wants to spend the rest of her days her church is here, along with her home and other places she loves. I do believe all three sisters loved their mother but they each had their own idea of how to handle things, said Joshua Bushman, who became Ediths guardian ad litem in 2011 at the request of the City of Alexandria, Va. But they disagreed among themselves. Theyre trying to say it was some abuse or something, said Hubbard, Ediths brother. If Niesen finds that the marriage does not benefit Hill or her estate, she can pursue a divorce or. "This whole thing is a travesty, what happens to old people," she said. She described how she was moved to see footage of Edith and Eddie dancing and in love, and then later moved to sadness and anger when she saw footage shot for a documentary in December showing the day that Edith was removed from the home she shared with Eddie to be relocated to Florida. I know my intention is to review the documentary. She also offered to help pay medical expenses. As a mandated reporter, was the alleged abuse investigated? Horrible freaking woman. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Omg. Every. Niesen says the marriage should be given equal treatment if found to be a good arrangement for Hill. I think so. Edith and Eddie, ages 96 and 95, are America's oldest interracial newlyweds. There are allegations from one of Ediths daughters about money issues and possession of the family home, as well as insinuations of racism (Edith is black, Eddie is white). Harrison stayed in Virginia. Its not clear how advanced her dementia had become or whether she could assess what was going on as the familys feud engulfed her. Edith & Eddie deserved better from Jessica the expert attorney in elder law/care and from Ediths daughter living in Florida. Was it Niesen, who intervened to address what the court had already found to be an unsafe situation for Edith, even if it meant splitting up the couple for a while? McLEAN, Va. (AP) A judge says a 96-year-old woman whose late-life marriage to a 95-year-old beau made national news should be returned to her longtime northern Virginia home after the musician . Cher said she would pay to fix up the Alexandria home to make sure it's properly equipped for a 96-year-old. Wright was not acting in the best interest of Ms. Hill at that point, because she was doing what she wanted to do and not working with her other co-guardian.. 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