NYS Senate Passes Legislation to Investigate Reports of Elder Abuse

The New York State Senate passed legislation on Thursday that would investigate reports of elder abuse and maltreatment, which primarily comes in the form of financial abuse for unsuspecting elderly individuals.

"I believe in investing in programs that work and these multidisciplinary teams have proven to be incredibly successful in the short time that they have been up and running,” Senator Susan Serino, the sponsor of the bill, said in a statement. “By providing access to these programs to seniors across the state, we are taking a major step forward in bringing the issue of elder abuse to light and ensuring that our seniors have access to the resources they need to enjoy their golden years free from harm and safe from abuse.”

Financial exploitation accounts for the fastest form of elder abuse, accounting for an estimated $2.6 billion per year to people aged 60 and older.

The Elder Abuse Prevention Interventions Grant Initiative supported a pilot program that used multidisciplinary teams to prevent that sort of abuse. The pilot program has shown positive results and has seen successful prosecutions of criminal cases involving exploitation.

The multidisciplinary investigate teams include representatives from law enforcement, the District Attorney’s office, bank, physicians, mental health professionals and victim advocacy personnel.

The bill has been sent to the New York State Assembly.

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NYS Senate Passes Legislation to Investigate Reports of Elder Abuse