On August 3, the Senate Finance Committee approved, by voice vote, a substitute amendment, and favorably reported the Elder Justice Act (S. 2010). The bill would authorize new Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) grant programs for the prevention, detection, assessment, and treatment of, intervention in, investigation of, and prosecution of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, including domestic violence and elder sexual abuse.
The bill also would establish an Elder Justice Coordinating Council at the Department of Justice. The council would be responsible for making recommendations to the Attorney General, Department of Health and Human Services, other federal agencies, state and local governments, and private agencies on the most effective ways to prevent and reduce violence against elders and elder abuse.
In a press release, Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), a cosponsor of the substitute, said, “Every older person living in this country has the right to be free of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. This year, the first of America’s more than 77 million Baby Boomers will reach the age of 60. As America grows older, it is imperative that we have the proper infrastructure in place to protect our seniors from abuse that not only threatens their safety but their dignity. Each year, between 500,000 and five million seniors in our country are abused, neglected, or exploited. An estimated 84 percent of all cases are never reported. We know that elder abuse happens across the country, at all levels of income. No person is immune, and regrettably, most abuse goes unreported. We have a moral obligation to protect the elderly among us, and the Elder Justice Act takes important steps to ensure the safety of older Americans whether it be in their homes or health care facilities. This legislation is long overdue for protecting the well-being of our seniors.”
Chair Charles Grassley (R-IA) said, “Placing a loved one in a nursing home is one of the most wrenching and emotional decisions a family must face. Children must assume the role of parents. Seniors are faced with relinquishing some of their freedoms and the comfort and security of their own homes. Families need the best and most accurate information available to help guide them through this difficult and draining decisionmaking process. Unfortunately there is not a great deal of consumer friendly, accessible information available to consumers. A family wrestling with the decision about where to place a loved one may not know all of their rights and the types of information available to them. That is why I am pleased that the legislation the committee will consider today includes several improvements that will help consumers to understand the resources available to them and provide critical information about the quality of care in available nursing homes.”
