Letters to the Editor
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Elvish, Shmelvish
Hasn't anyone here read or seen any Shakespeare? Consult "King Lear," please.
In addition to the excellent recommendations to get in touch -- immediately! -- with local or state Elder Abuse units, I would suggest a talk with the landlord, who is apparently a friend of the family. Most standard leases (and often landlord-tenant law) will allow a landlord to evict residents other than the leaseholder. In other words, he should be able to force out anyone other than LW's mom. He may also be able to get a No Trespass order against the scary relatives. This gets mom free of these people without it being her "fault."
I think it should be pointed out to any possible intervener that the mom has never sought this kind of relationship with her sister in the past, and that the children feel it's likely that she's being threatened and is too afraid to say so.Extra scrutiny of good ol' Goneril would probably reveal that she's eligible for assistance as a person with a disability.
Nightmare situation!