Elder Abuse on Long Island: Causes and Solutions
About 260,000 older adults in New York are likely affected by elder abuse, but stigma leads to underreporting, experts say.
If your adult child were abusing you financially, emotionally, or physically, what would you do? In New York State, for every one reported case of elder abuse, about 23 typically go unreported.
According to the "Under the Radar: New York State Elder Abuse Prevalence Study", there are approximately 260,000 older adults who are victims of physical, sexual, financial or psychological abuse each year.
A spokesperson for the state Office for the Aging confirmed that the 2011 study is still the most recent and definitive study on elder abuse prevalence.
Experts, such as Jeanne Cacciatore, director of the Safe Observant Seniors — “SOS” — program, are working to address the issue.
Author's summary: Elder abuse affects many on Long Island.