Justice for All: Ending Elder Abuse, Neglect and Financial Exploitation
March 2, 2011
On March 2, 2011 the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing entitled, “Justice for All: Ending Elder Abuse, Neglect and Financial Exploitation,” which explored nationwide trends in physical, mental and financial abuse of seniors with top experts and advocates. The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Kohl, as well as Senators Wyden, Blumenthal, Collins, and Manchin were present. The hearing coincided with the release of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report entitled “Elder Justice: Stronger Federal Leadership Could Enhance National Response to Elder Abuse”. The report details the prevalence and impact of elder abuse in the U.S., the responsibilities of state Adult Protected Services (APS) programs, and details federal funding and involvement in this area.
As a victim of elder abuse, actor Mickey Rooney testified in front of the Committee, sharing his story of being financially exploited by a family member. He gave a passionate speech about the loss of control he felt and how this exploitation hurt him. He asked Senators to help others who could not help themselves.
In addition to Mr. Rooney, a panel of witnesses included: Kay Brown, the director of Education, Workforce and Income Security at GAO; Kathleen Quinn, the executive director of the National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA); Mark Lachs, the director of Geriatrics at New York Presbyterian Health System and the Co-Chief of the Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University; Bonnie Brandl, the director of the National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life (NCALL), and Marie-Therese Connolly, the director o f Life Long Justice (LLJ).
Ms. Brown discussed the findings from the GAO report and commented on the issues state APS programs face, including growing requests, shrinking funding, and the need for better data collecting services. On the federal level, there have been small-scale activities, but the need for nation-wide reporting and data collection is necessary. She suggested that the Department of Health and Human Services begin collecting data on a nation-wide level and pointed out the need for strong national leadership.
Ms. Quinn also commented on the costs elder abuse adds to programs like Medicare. She said that state APS offices are understaffed, underfunded, and overworked. She believes a national resource center would benefit the states, as NAPSA is currently the only national association dealing with elder abuse.
Dr. Lachs discussed the findings of a recent New York State survey on elder abuse to show just how much abuse our system is missing. He recommended two ways to combat elder abuse: multidisciplinary elder abuse teams as a national model for dealing with elder abuse, and more research to determine the actual extent of abuse throughout the country.
Ms. Brandl also discussed the need for more multidisciplinary training and direct response teams. The Violence Against Women Act is also up for reauthorization this year, and contains some legislation on abuse later in life.
Ms. Connolly discussed the lack of attention given to elder abuse, compared with that to child abuse or domestic abuse. She said that an Elder Justice Office in the Justice Department could be a low cost, high impact way to effectively respond to or prevent elder abuse.
Senator Wyden asked the panel members what long-term solutions they felt would best address this issue. They suggested using multidisciplinary teams and centers to find and help victims of elder abuse. They also said that isolation is a large factor in abuse, so programs such as home delivered meals or chore services can serve to leave older adults less isolated; and therefore, less likely to be abused, or more likely to seek help. The panel reiterated the need for more federal leadership, and better financing for such a position, as well as better support for state APS offices.
This hearing was the beginning of a conversation on elder abuse and elder justice that will continue in the Committee. The need for support, training, and nation-wide research and reporting was made clear. We will continue to follow this issue and will inform our members on any developments.
Click here to see the GAO summary of the report.