EYE on ELDER ISSUES
June 2007, Vol. 4, Issue 3
Elder Justice Act legislation could help combat elder abuse and neglect
Elder law attorneys are often the first to see the ravages of elder abuse,
neglect and exploitation on seniors and their families. As aging professionals,
elder law attorneys are keenly aware of the need for better protections for our
nation’s seniors.
In the current Congress, the Democratic majority is changing priorities as far
as many key issues are concerned.
A major bipartisan issue before Congress is the critical
need for safeguards for older Americans against elder
abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Elder abuse impacts all
economic classes, all races and all religions. In a recent
National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) Survey of
Elder Issues, we found that 20 percent of individuals had
experienced some sort of elder abuse, either themselves or
their parents. There are estimates that as many as 5 million
people suffer from elder abuse, however many of the
cases go unreported. Unfortunately, the National Elder Abuse
Incidence Study suggests nearly 85 percent of abuse cases go
unreported. This far-reaching issue demands the immediate
action generated by the Elder Justice Act.
The Elder Justice Act was introduced on March 29, 2007 in both the Senate and
House. In the Senate, S. 1070 was introduced by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and co-
authored by Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) with original co-sponsors Senator Herb
Kohl (D-WI) and Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR). On the House side the Elder Justice
Act companion bill, H.R. 1783, was authored by Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) and co-
authored by Rep. Peter King (R-NY). For more information on the Senate bill, or a
status update, check Senator Hatch's website. Information on the companion House
and Senate bills can also be found by searching http://thomas.loc.gov.
The Elder Justice Act provides much needed federal leadership to
create a nationally coordinated strategy to combat elder abuse,
neglect, and exploitatio