According to the National Council on Aging, 1 in 10 American citizens aged 60 or older have suffered from elder abuse. Another study by the National Research Council finds that only 1 in 14 of these elder abuse cases are reported.
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| We all want the best for our best grandmas and grandpas -- luckily, many states are offering quality protection programs to keep them safe. |
The Need for Better Programs
With the current situation of protection programs and health care system in the US, it should not come as a shock if people want to live under better conditions, or even live in a different state that would take better care of them. A few weeks ago, Pennsylvania nurses took their frustrations out on the streets when they carried out a strike out of concerns over short-staffing, poor compensations, and how they suffer from PTSD because of all these.
If nurses have taken the courage to act on their frustrations, it is also perfectly normal to want better programs to protect your loved ones, especially our elders.
There are actually states which stand out from the others when it comes to offering protections for their older populations.
How the List was Made
The top 10 list generated by the personal finance site, WalletHub, includes states from different parts of America, with three each coming from the South, Midwest, and New England.
Out of the 50 states, California, South Carolina, and New Jersey were in the bottom three. Some mountain states like Nevada, Montana, New Mexico, and Utah are also included in the bottom 10.
WalletHub established its rankings based on the states’ rampancy of elder abuse, funds allotted on protection programs, and legal protections against abuse. Experts were able to come up with a score from each state based on 16 metrics in three categories, and then they were ranked according to weighted averages out of 100 points.
Massachusetts and Wisconsin made the list for their outstanding expenditures on programs against elder abuse, while Vermont and The District of Columbia were deemed remarkable for their ombudsman program funding. Vermont was also commended for its exceptional services and organizations designed to care for their elders.
“Policies that enhance services or interventions available to adult protective services can be helpful,” Jennifer Pax, a professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at New Jersey City University told WalletHub.
“Some examples of interventions may include education and outreach to older adults and families, specifically in the areas of financial education around making a transition to government benefits,” Pax added.
Here are the 10 best states in the country for safe keeping elders against abuse, according to a report by WalletHub:
Massachusetts
Wisconsin
Vermont
Michigan
West Virginia
Virginia
District of Columbia
Iowa
Louisiana
Maine
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