Elder Law

Senator Hatch Reintroduces Elder-Abuse Bill

By Levin & Perconti

Senators Orrin Hatch and Blanche Lincoln have reintroduced a bill designed to help curb elder abuse. Hatch noted that more than 500,000 Americans over 60 are victims of domestic abuse. He wishes that this bill would protect the elderly from those who would prey upon them physically, financially and psychologically. The bill would order the federal government to collect data on elder abuse; penalize failure to report abuse and other crimes in long-term care facilities; provide Adult Protective Services grants with $100 million annually for four years; and create a council to coordinate federal, state and local response to elder abuse. The senator stated that the government spends $6.7 billion a year on child abuse and $520 million a year on domestic abuse, but only $153 million on elder abuse. Given that 76 million baby boomers will reach retirement age over the next three decades, that amount is quite small. To read more about the nursing home legislation, please click the link.

Full post as published by Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog on April 06, 2009 (boomark / email).