Carving Out New Path for Stronger Elder-Abuse Protections in IA

Among the many forms of elder abuse, advocates for older Iowans say financial exploitation is among the most common, and they don't think Iowa laws are strong enough to help victims. (Adobe Stock)

DES MOINES, Iowa -- As the new Iowa legislative session kicks off today, advocates for seniors hope lawmakers take another look at elder abuse and do more to prevent it.

When the 2020 session abruptly ended in March because of COVID, the momentum evaporated for a bill to create a new criminal offense for financial exploitation and other harms against Iowans age 60 and older.

The bill had cleared the state Senate, but didn't get a vote in the House.

Anthony Carroll, associate state director of advocacy for AARP Iowa, said the current statute doesn't cover a lot of ground, and this provision could stem a prevalent way in which elders are targeted.

"It's not the 'stranger-danger' or scams," Carroll explained. "It's more oftentimes the danger that can exist within your home; people that you've entrusted with your finances and care that have used that opportunity to physically abuse and financially exploit."

The measure won unanimous support when it cleared the Senate last spring, but Carroll admitted because it's a new session, advocates have to start over to gain support and get committee hearings. He acknowledged that might be difficult, since lawmakers still have to address pandemic-related matters.

The legislation would also direct the Department on Aging to collect and store data on these incidents.

Carroll pointed out in a report from last year, the Department of Human Services confirmed more than 50% of reported cases weren't accepted for follow-up.

"We have a very narrow system that really only stops elder abuse in very specific situations," Carroll contended.

Supporters of the bill said they fear the situation has gotten worse with so many older people isolated right now because of the pandemic.

The previous bill had the backing of many law enforcement groups, financial institutions and long-term care associations.

 

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Carving Out New Path for Stronger Elder-Abuse Protections in IA

 

Ohio ranks 30th in elder-abuse protection

WASHINGTON, D.C. — With the share of U.S. adults aged 65 and older expected to comprise more than a fifth of the entire population by 2029 and 23 out of 24 elder-abuse cases going unreported every year, the personal-finance website, WalletHub, conducted an in-depth analysis that identifies 2016’s states with the best elder-abuse protections.

To determine which states fight the hardest against elder abuse, WalletHub’s analysts compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 10 key metrics. The data set ranges from “share of elder-abuse, gross-neglect and exploitation complaints” to “total expenditures on elder-abuse prevention per resident aged 65 and older” to “financial elder-abuse laws.”

Ohio ranked 30th overall among the 51 entities. The state came in 30th for elder-abuse, gross-neglect and exploitation complaints per resident aged 65 and older; 31st for total expenditures on elder-abuse prevention per resident aged 65 or older; 19th for total expenditures on legal assistance-development per resident aged 65 and older; fifth for total long-term care ombudsman-program funding per resident aged 65 and older; 35th for financial elderly abuse laws; 37th for number of eldercare organizations & services per resident aged 65 and older; fifth for presence of elder-abuse forensic centers; 22nd for number of certified volunteer ombudsmen per resident aged 65 and older; 13th for frequency of assisted-living facilities inspections; and 38th for quality of nursing homes.

States with the best elder-abuse protections were, in rank order, District of Columbia, Nevada, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Missouri, Tennessee, Iowa, Louisiana, Vermont, Hawaii.

States with the worst protections, with worst last in the list, were, Alabama, Kentucky, Idaho, North Dakota, New Jersey, South Dakota, Rhode Island, California, Wyoming and South Carolina.

Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming have no legislation that protects the elderly from financial crimes.

Alaska has the highest total, long-term-care-ombudsman-program funding per resident aged 65 and older, $11.18, which is 16 times higher than in Nebraska, the state with the lowest at $0.68.

The District of Columbia has the highest number of certified, volunteer ombudsmen per 100,000 residents aged 65 and older, 82.26, whereas both South Dakota and Wyoming have none.

Missouri has the highest frequency of assisted-living facilities inspections, twice per year, which is 10 times higher than in both California and Nebraska, the states with the lowest at once every five years.

North Dakota has the highest nursing-homes quality (share of certified nursing-home beds rated 4 or 5 stars), 62.9 percent, which is two times higher than in Louisiana, the state with the lowest at 27.2 percent.

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Ohio ranks 30th in elder-abuse protection