• 17
  • May
    2010

Instances of elder abuse, such abuse in nursing homes, happen far too often. Even so, it is woefully underreported, and action, when taken, rarely fixes the problem. For years, advocates for elder care and protection have petitioned Congress for more funding to fight things like nursing home abuse.

Now, with the passing of Obama's giant healthcare reform act, elder care advocates are finally getting some attention - in the form of $777 million, stretched across four years. The money will be used to support programs that work to prevent elder abuse from happening and, when it does happen, punish those responsible.

The money will be used to help fund adult protective service programs on both a state and local level. It will support further investigations of nursing home abuse, neglect and the growing problem of monetary exploitation among the elderly and disabled.

One initiative to combat the latter will focus on educating bank tellers and others in frequent contact with bank customers to recognize the signs of financial abuse. These include sudden withdrawals from an account that has been more or less inactive, many withdrawals in a short amount of time and the appearance unfamiliar persons with elderly bank members.

Part of the $777 million will go towards investigating new ways to combat elder abuse, with a coordinating council in place to compile a report containing recommendations for elder abuse prevention to the U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services.

Also contained within the bill is a new law, the Patient Safety and Abuse Prevention Act, which will serve to create a nationwide system for screening those who apply to work at nursing homes and other care facilities. Criminal background checks will be performed on anyone applying for such a position.

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