New approach to elder abuse launched in Pennsylvania

(The Center Square) – As the number of senior adults increases in Pennsylvania, so too rises the number of elder abuse cases fielded by the state’s Area Agencies on Aging, or AAAs.

On Tuesday, the Department of Aging, which oversees them, announced a collaboration that would bring together multidisciplinary teams to handle those cases.

Though long-delayed, the department’s efforts will be supported by a more than $10 million investment in AAAs. The department’s funding has been lean, increasing by only 3% in the same time that the number of seniors increased by 22%.

Abuse among the aging population often comes at the hands of those entrusted to care for them, and often victims are unable to advocate for themselves. Physical and mental abuse are common, as is neglect exacerbated by increasing isolation among the elderly. Financial exploitation has become more complex alongside the advent of technologies that have born new types of fraud.

The multidisciplinary approach will allow professionals from both...