Thank you, Mickey Rooney

Mickey Rooney is back in the news. The original celluloid Andy Hardy is now 92, and having... well, a bit of a hard time.  

You may recall that Rooney testified to Congress in 2011 about the problem of elder abuse. Rooney alleged that he was abused by his stepson, Christopher Abers, saying he withheld food, medicine, and money from the actor. As a result, the California court appointed a guardian for Rooney. The stepson agreed to stay away from the actor.

According to a story in the March 4th LA Daily News,  the probate court has given Rooney's guardian permission to sell the actor's home, which is now unsuitable because Rooney can no longer climb the stairs. He has moved into another stepson's single-story home. But the good news is,  Rooney is staying as active as he can, even now. He recently filmed a public service announcement on behalf of military veterans (Rooney served 21 months during World War II, entertaining troops); and he sailed on a recent cruise from Miami to Mexico that featured Turner Classic Films.

A big thank you to this prolific Hollywood icon for shedding light on the elder abuse epidemic. To read more about the signs of elder abuse and what to do about it if you suspect it, click here.