Massachusetts Reports Decrease in Funding to Prevent Elder Abuse
The Patriot Ledger in Massachusetts reports that while reports of elder abuse and neglect continue to rise in the state, cuts in funding continue to put a strain in the assistance of state is able to provide for abuse victims. A legislative meeting took place on the 16th to discuss the problem and several state agencies spoke on behalf of many abuse victims that they are trying to assist.
According to the executive director of one agency, elder abuse and negligence has risen 28% in the last 2 and a half years and current funding has not been sufficient enough to assist the victims in those cases. The executive director stated that funding has been cut from $16.7 million to $15.2, a reduction of $1.5 million total. Several other programs that were originally in place to assist and bring awareness victims of elder abuse and neglect have also been completely cut out of state budget.
The executive director that spoke in this report stated that some of the most important programs set in place to protect elders from abuse or neglect have been cut from the budget. In states such as Nevada, new bills have been brought to the Senate in an attempt to assist elder abuse and neglect victims. However, if these budget cuts spread throughout the nation, these bills may not serve much good for elder abuse victims. Facilities and heads of the programs in place need to be able to support themselves in order to provide quality care and assistance for abuse and neglect victims in any situation. Without these programs and funding, elderly individuals will continue to suffer without getting proper compensation or justice.
