O’Dea Moves Bill Protecting Vulnerable Seniors Through House
During a Friday session of the Connecticut General Assembly, State Representative Tom O’Dea (R-125) voted in favor of legislation he cosponsored that broadens the circumstances which the the Department of Social Services (DSS) must disclose results from investigations into elderly abuse, neglect, exploitation or abandonment. The bill also requires the DSS Commissioner to develop a plan to incorporate the federal Administration for Community Living’s Voluntary Consensus Guidelines for State Adult Protective Services into the state’s elderly protective services program, align state and federal data, and provide training that will be made available on their website for mandated reporters.
“Elderly citizens are especially susceptible to the predatory behavior of scam artists, unethical businesses, and sometimes, tragically, those who have been charged with their care or administering their affairs,” said Rep. O’Dea. “The provisions of this bill will help us provide greater protection and security for our aging population, who deserve to live out their golden years in peace and dignity.”
Also, financial agents, which are not mandated reporters, are required to have training on elder financial abuse through a portal developed on the Legislative Commission on Aging’s website. This plan must be delivered to the legislature’s Aging and Human Services committees by July 1, 2017.
Unlike most states, Connecticut’s Protective Services for the Elderly Program focuses only on seniors aged 60 and over. The bill requires the Department of Social Services to evaluate expanding the investigation of cases of abuse of adults who are over the age of 18, as is the case in most other states.
According to data from the Legislative Commission on Aging, Connecticut is the 7th oldest state in the nation with the 3rd longest-lived population. Between 2010 and 2040 it is estimated that the state’s population of residents aged 65 and older will grow by 57%.
The National Center on Elder Abuse, a division of the Department of Health and Human Services, reports that elders who experience abuse have a 300% higher risk of death when compared to those who were not victimized. In one U.S. study, caregiver abuse and neglect of people with dementia was detected in 47.3% of surveyed caregivers.
The bill, HB 5289, An Act Concerning Protective Services for Vulnerable Persons, now heads to the State Senate for action there. This session of the Connecticut General Assembly adjourns at midnight, Wednesday, May 4th.