How many states have laws about elder abuse?
ANSWER All 50 states and the District of Columbia have enacted legislation addressing domestic or institutional abuse of the elderly. The statutes vary widely in the age at which a victim is covered; the definition of elder abuse; classification of the abuse as criminal or civil; types of abuse covered; reporting requirements; investigation procedures; and remedies. The laws, however, were written as long as 20 years ago, and were based on the laws addressing child abuse, which primarily concern physical abuse. As as a result, these old laws are weak on matters such as financial exploitation (children have no money to exploit), and offer few remedies other than removal of the abused person from the setting where the abuse is occurring or provision of services intended to alleviate or terminate the abuse.
