Virtually all countries are expecting to see substantial growth in the aging population and the amount of elder abuse can be expected to grow, according to the United Nations. World Elder Abuse Awareness Day was launched on June 15, 2006, by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the U.N.
An estimated 2 billion people will be over the age of 60 in 2050. This is a global issue that affects the health and human rights of millions of older persons around the world, and it deserves our attention.
Each year an estimated 5 million older persons are abused, exploited and neglected in the United States. Abuse can be physical, mental and — most prevalent— financial.
The total cost of elder abuse is $36 billion a year, according to a recent NPR Marketplace report. The worst part? The abuse is often perpetrated by someone the older adult knows, such as a family member, friend or caregiver.
It can also be a professional scammer. I personally know of several situations where someone played on the emotions of an elderly widower and bilked them out of thousands of dollars. These types of cases are known in the legal world as “twisted heart” cases — those people who victimize elders and who are capable of lying and scheming for personal benefit.
Telemarketing and internet scams requesting immediate payment of bogus fees, made-up fines and identity theft are also rapidly growing problems. One in five people over the age of 65 has been the victim of financial fraud, according to the Senior Investor Protection Resource Center.
Think of the “Nigerian letter scam,” fake Internal Revenue Service calls about unpaid taxes, wire transfer requests for suspicious bills, mortgage refinancing scams and more. According to AARP, 51% of scammers are strangers, 34% are family and friends, and the rest are financial advisers and unscrupulous attorneys.
Here are some basic things we can all do to help stop elder abuse:
• Report concerns to your local Adult Protective Services program or law enforcement. The national elder abuse hotline number is 1-800-96-ABUSE.
• Be a friendly visitor to an older person living in the community or a facility. Don’t be afraid to ask how they are doing and if they are ever afraid.
• Look for the warning signs of elder abuse such as someone who is fearful or afraid to speak around a caregiver, signs of cuts, bruises, etc.
• A widowed parent who tells you about their new “wonderful friend” they are suddenly spending lots of time with and money on.
• Share financial duties with your parent so fraud can be more quickly detected or utilize new software that will alert you about large transfers of money.
• Share financial duties with siblings so no one person has control of your parents’ finances.
• Have a plan in place should you or a loved one be diagnosed with dementia. Those with even mild cognitive impairment can fall prey to scammers easily.
While the statistics are bleak, there is some good news. First, Florida is ahead of the curve nationally and passed Florida House Bill 409 in 2014 that has redefined exploitation of an elderly person or disabled adult.
Now, even family members, trustees, guardians and joint account holders can be charged with both civil and criminal penalties. We can thank one of our local elder law attorneys, Shannon Miller, for her work on both helping to craft and pass this important piece of legislation.
Second, the U.S. House of Representatives is currently looking at the Senior Security Act of 2019 (House Bill H.R. 1876), which would create a Senior Investor Taskforce at the Securities and Exchange Commission that would examine and identify challenges facing senior investors and the cost of this financial exploitation.
This task force — along with state security and law enforcement authorities, and state insurance regulators — would report its findings to Congress every two years and recommend any regulatory changes. This bill passed in the House on April 30 and is before the Senate for consideration. Let’s hope it passes.
Just remember the saying, “Think globally, act locally.” Educate yourself and then do what you can to protect yourself, your family and loved ones from elder abuse.
Don’t wait; if you suspect real abuse, do something. Reach out to your neighbor, call the hotline, report your concerns. You can make a difference for our elders!
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