Elder Abuse Cases Continue to Rise
Statistics from Bristol Elder Services, the Rhode Island Department of Elderly Affairs and the RI Coalition Against Domestic Violence show that cases of elder abuse and domestic violence continue to rise. A report from turnto10.com, an NBC affiliate in Rhode Island, states that over 1,800 cases of elder abuse were reported in Massachusetts last year.
Just over 400 of those cases were proven to be substantiated cases. In Rhode Island, over 500 cases of elder abuse were reported according to the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Department of Elderly Affairs. The report outlines two cases that occurred; the first was in Fall River, MA where a man was accused and charged with negligence against his 91-year-old mother. The second was a man that was arrested after his mother died after suffering extreme bedsores, rotting flesh and widespread infection. One person interviewed in the report stated elder abuse could take on many forms. They stated that speaking with the person being abused one-on-one is key because they may not speak up and be honest if their abuser is in the room.
Elder abuse and neglect cases vary by state and unfortunately; some states may show higher statistics of elder abuse and/or neglect than others. According to statistics on eadaily.com, Maricopa County in Arizona has over 66,000 reported and unreported cases of elder abuse or neglect every year. 13,500 cases, a majority of which were unreported cases, occurred in the Phoenix area. It is plain to see that elder abuse is an extremely serious problem in the United States.
