The Kasem Conference on Aging took place Friday and Saturday. I spoke on Policies that Encourage Elder Abuse. Those issues apply equally to abuse of dependent adults. Send an email for a pdf of my slides.
Several speakers spoke on isolation as an indicator of abuse. San Diego DA Paul Greenwood called isolation the biggest red flag for elder abuse. Greenwood trains police officers that isolation nearly always accompanies financial and/or physical abuse.
Greenwood had strong words for officers who tell families that a situation is a civil matter. Determining whether an incident is a crime or a civil matter requires a legal conclusion. Officers do not have the training to draw legal conclusions. The officer’s role is to collect evidence and deliver to the DA. The DA (attorney) draws the legal conclusions.
Orange County Judge Kim Hubbard supported using a temporary restraining order against elder abuse as a legal instrument to secure a victim’s right to visitation. That’s how we got visitation with my mom, after 15 months of isolation. Judge Hubbard also arranges elder visitation through the same mechanisms used for parental visitation with minor children.
California’s AB 2301 will require a 3-year investigation into how law enforcement investigates reports of abuse in long-term care. The bill passed 6-0 in the Assembly Aging and Long Term Care Committee. We’ll let you know when the next hearing is scheduled so you can send letters of support to the committee.
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