By Hank Russell
A recent study found that New York received relatively low marks in elder abuse protection and providing funding for eldercare services.
According to WalletHub, New York was 30th in the nation, scoring 44.45 points. The scoring was determined based on 16 key indicators of elder abuse protection in 3 overall categories. The data set ranged from the share of elder abuse, gross neglect and exploitation complaints to financial elder-abuse laws.
Wisconsin had 70.77 points, making it the state with the best elder abuse protections. South Dakota had the worst protections, scoring 21.55 points.
Another issue WalletHub saw with the state was funding to stop elder abuse. New York was only ranked 33rd in total expenditures on elder abuse prevention, 37th in total long-term care ombudsman program funding and 41st in the number of eldercare organizations and services. Massachusetts spends the most on elder abuse prevention, while Montana, Maine, Louisiana and Georgia spent the least.
One upside was that the state was in the top 20 when it came to having the number of certified volunteer ombudsmen (15th) and nursing home quality (18th).
The study also found that the state had the tenth-lowest elder abuse, gross neglect and exploitation complaints. Louisiana had the lowest number of complaints, while California, Nevada and South Carolina each had the most complaints. (This is in reference to incidents per senior age 65 and older.)
It is undisputed that elder abuse is a problem in New York. According to the New York State Enhanced Multidisciplinary Team Initiative, for every elder abuse incident that is reported, there are 23 that are not. The New York State Office of Aging estimates that 300,000 senior citizens are victimized each year.
Some of the forms of elder abuse include physical, emotional and sexual abuse and neglect. Some of the signs are unexplained cuts and bruises; poor hygiene; isolation from family and friends; seeming underfed, dehydrated, overmedicated or undermedicated; and lack of medical care.
Financial exploitation has been more prevalent as seniors are tricked by strangers, family members, friends or caregivers.
“Many seniors are targeted through imposter scams in which the scammers pose as government agents for programs such as Social Security and Medicare in which they lure seniors to make payments or provide personal information that leads to identity theft,: said Steve Weisman, a senior law lecturer at Bentley University.
Other scams, Weisman said, include “telemarketing scams, phony lottery scams, tech support scams (which target and prey on seniors in large numbers, the grandparent or family emergency scam, romance scams and investment scams.”
“Our nation’s elderly population is vulnerable to being hurt physically, financially and mentally by both their families and their caregivers,” WalletHub expert Chip Lupo added. “Elderly people who foresee needing care in the near future, or families who want to make sure their relatives receive the best treatment possible, should be aware of the states with the best elder-abuse protections.”