DEAR ABBY: What do you think of a family who refuses to take their 92-year-old grandmother to the doctor for her yearly checkup? They say it's "too far."
As far as I'm concerned, no distance is "too far" if you care. She has offered to pay for the gas, but they still refuse.
Are there agencies that will pick up people and take them to their doctor's office? -- A FRIEND IN CHICAGO
DEAR FRIEND: What you are describing is a form of elder abuse. Notify the doctor's office. They should be able to contact a local agency that assists seniors and others who qualify for free or low-cost transportation to medical appointments.
P.S. Since her family is unwilling to monitor the health of their aged grandmother, it's possible that she should be visited by a social worker from time to time.