Mr Rooney revealed that he was a victim of elder abuse, abused by a member of his own family. "I felt trapped, scared, used and frustrated, But above all, when a man feels helpless, it's terrible."
Reports the Associated Press -- "In his testimony, (Mr.) Rooney did not identify the family member he contends abused him. But he has obtained a restraining order from a judge in Los Angeles keeping his stepson, Chris Aber, away from him until an April 5 court hearing.(Mr.) Rooney has accused Aber in court filings of withholding food and medicine and meddling in his personal finances. Attempts by The Associated Press to find a working phone number for Aber have been unsuccessful.
Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., who chairs the Special Senate Committee on Aging, said the elderly are particularly vulnerable because they are "often fragile" and their abusers usually stand little chance of getting caught."
Many Americans and people in other countries too, grew up watching Mickey Rooney movies, the Andy Hardy series and others. It is very sad to know that Mr. Rooney has been mistreated in his senior years. Mr. Rooney's testimony reminds us all of the serious problem of elder abuse and calls on us to be alert to the signs that seniors are being abused.
Item from the Associated Press --"Mickey Rooney spoke out against elder abuse before a senate committee on aging on Wednesday. The 90-year-old actor says he's been the victim of abuse at the hands of his own family. " See the video.