[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 492 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 492

   Designating June 15, 2012, as ``World Elder Abuse Awareness Day''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 12, 2012

 Mr. Blumenthal (for himself, Mr. Kirk, Mr. Durbin, and Mr. Nelson of 
 Florida) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 
                               agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Designating June 15, 2012, as ``World Elder Abuse Awareness Day''.

Whereas at least 2,000,000 older adults are maltreated each year in the United 
        States;
Whereas the vast majority of the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of older 
        adults in the United States goes unidentified and unreported;
Whereas only 1 in 44 cases of financial abuse of older adults is reported;
Whereas at least $2,900,000,000 is taken from older adults each year due to 
        financial abuse and exploitation;
Whereas elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation have no boundaries and cross all 
        racial, social, class, gender, and geographic lines;
Whereas older adults who are abused are 3 times more likely to die earlier than 
        older adults of the same age who are not abused;
Whereas the percentage of individuals in the United States who are 60 years of 
        age or older will nearly double by 2020;
Whereas, although all 50 States have laws against elder abuse, incidents of 
        elder abuse have increased by 150 percent over the last 10 years;
Whereas public awareness has the potential to increase the identification and 
        reporting of elder abuse by the public, professionals, and victims, and 
        can act as a catalyst to promote issue-based education and long-term 
        prevention; and
Whereas private individuals and public agencies must work to combat crime and 
        violence against older adults and vulnerable adults, particularly in 
        light of continued reductions in funding for vital services: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates June 15, 2012 as ``World Elder Abuse 
        Awareness Day'';
            (2) recognizes judges, lawyers, adult protective services 
        professionals, law enforcement officers, social workers, health 
        care providers, victims' advocates, and other professionals and 
        agencies for their efforts to advance awareness of elder abuse; 
        and
            (3) encourages members of the public and professionals who 
        work with older adults to act as catalysts to promote awareness 
        and long-term prevention of elder abuse by reaching out to 
        local adult protective services agencies and by learning to 
        recognize, report, and respond to elder abuse.
                                 <all>