Elder Abuse Reports Rising (WI. USA)

By Dean Mosiman, Wisconsin State Journal 

 December 13, 2008

Reports of elder abuse rose to all-time highs in Dane County and the state last year, a new state report says.

Advocates and officials said the rise is likely due to a growing elder population, increasing public awareness and improvements in the law in 2006. 

"I'm heartened by the fact that more cases are being reported," said attorney Betsy Abramson, a leading advocate on elder issues in the state, because a major problem has been that the abuse has been largely unrecognized. 

In one case, a 78-year-old Dane County woman learned her grandson had stolen, forged and passed $1,500 worth of checks to feed his cocaine addiction, victim advocate Lisa Rader said. 

The woman contacted police — against the wishes of her husband and daughter — and her grandson was arrested. He called her from jail and threatened her, Rader said. 

County elder abuse workers had to help the woman secure a restraining order and helped her get through the court process, Rader said, adding that almost all of the money has been returned. 

But in tight budget times, government isn't adding services or more resources to address the issue of elder abuse or to deliver follow up.

The majority of elder abuse cases go unreported, advocates say. 

"In these budget times, will we get any? That's not realistic," Abramson said. "But the system certainly could use it for more direct services."

More funds could be used for case workers or support services to help vulnerable seniors get food or take medications, assist with personal care or cleaning homes, and help them manage money to avoid financial abuse, she said.

 Despite the growing evidence of abuse of vulnerable senior citizens, finding new money or even keeping existing money to protect elders will be a challenge given the state's projected $5.4 billion deficit over the next biennium, said Lee Sensenbrenner, spokesman for Gov. Jim Doyle.

Abramson and others hope to improve the durable power of attorney for finances law in the upcoming Legislature to protect the elderly from financial exploitation. 

"As resources are difficult, what we can continue to do is all pull together and share information and improve the system we have," Marquis said. 

The National Elder Abuse Incidence Study of 1998 found more than 500,000 Adult Protective Services reports across the country, but surveys of front-line responders indicated that only one in five cases are reported. 

Later studies have estimated that perhaps one in 14 cases in domestic settings are reported and that one in 25 victims of financial exploitation come forward.

Abridged

SOURCE:   Wisconsin State Journal

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