[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 98 (Monday, June 20, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S4355]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    WORLD ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS DAY

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I have fought for years to protect our 
Nation's seniors from abuse and exploitation--initially, in my capacity 
as former chairman of the Senate Aging Committee and more recently as 
chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Last Wednesday was World 
Elder Abuse Awareness Day, but because the Democrats were unfortunately 
blocking the business of the American people on the Senate floor, I was 
unable to give this statement, so I want to take this opportunity today 
to express my renewed commitment to ending the abuse and exploitation 
of older Americans.
  We don't know the full extent and scope of the problem of elder 
abuse, mainly due to underreporting.
  Many older Americans don't report instances of elder abuse due to 
embarrassment, a refusal to acknowledge that they were victimized, or 
reliance on the perpetrator as their caretaker.
  But we do know that serious cases of abuse or exploitation of older 
Americans seem to be increasing and that it can take several forms: 
financial, physical, and emotional.
  Financial exploitation is the most widespread form of elder abuse, 
costing seniors in the U.S. between an estimated $2.9 and $36 billion 
annually. In fact, it is been called ``the crime of the 21st century.''
  In my home State of Iowa, for example, so-called grandparent scams 
are becoming more prevalent. Fraudsters initiating a grandparent scam 
will present themselves to a senior citizen as a grandchild in 
distress, in the hope of convincing the grandparent to immediately send 
cash or give out a credit card number.
  Another common scam in Iowa is the sweetheart scam, in which 
criminals cultivate a romantic relationship with a lonely elder, 
typically online, and then convince the senior to part with their hard-
earned money.
  Across the United States, con artists reportedly are also using 
sweepstakes scams to steal money. A senior is called and told they have 
won some great prize or sum of money, but before they can claim the 
supposed prize, the victim is required to pay taxes or processing fees. 
Once the money is paid to cover the taxes and fees, however, no prize 
ever materializes.
  Other instances of elder financial exploitation are more personal in 
nature and have especially devastating effects. Some victims are 
pressured into signing over a deed, modifying a will, or giving a power 
of attorney. Americans have lost their farms, homes, and life savings 
to this form of fraud. In Iowa, we have recently revised our laws to 
protect against these types of abuse, and I will be doing what I can to 
raise awareness to help stop this nationwide.
  Physical abuse is another form of abuse that can have a devastating 
impact on older Americans. In fact, older Americans who experience 
physical abuse reportedly have a 300 percent greater chance of dying 
sooner.
  Many older Americans may also face emotional abuse. According to the 
National Center on Elder Abuse, common examples of emotional abuse 
include treating an elder like an infant, isolating an elderly person 
from his or her loved ones or regular activities, and giving an older 
person the ``silent treatment.''
  I have also recently become aware of instances of seniors in nursing 
homes who were unknowingly photographed in embarrassing and 
compromising situations. These photos or videos wind up on social media 
outlets, such as Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram, simply so a 
depraved individual can get a few cheap laughs or attention.
  I sent a letter to the Attorney General and the Health and Human 
Services inspector general on this very issue earlier this year because 
it remains unclear to me what specifically is being done on a Federal 
level to stop this form of abuse.
  I have sent letters to Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram to better 
understand what efforts they have taken to help prevent this form of 
abuse of nursing home residents. And I wrote to the American Health 
Care Association to inquire about the efforts, if any, that nursing 
homes have taken to prevent this activity.
  I also recently called upon the Justice Department to detail the 
steps it is taking to protect seniors from financial exploitation. I 
have asked the Department what it is doing to combat government 
imposter scams that are bilking millions of dollars out of the pockets 
of older Americans.
  Combating elder abuse and exploitation requires all of us to work 
together in a bipartisan way. To this end, I will convene a Judiciary 
Committee hearing later this month on the subject of elder financial 
exploitation.
  This hearing will give us a chance to examine whether the Federal 
Government is doing all it can to prevent older Americans from being 
victimized and to ensure that perpetrators are held accountable. We 
also will hear from State officials on how to best educate older 
Americans about the ever-changing forms of elder abuse and financial 
exploitation.
  Local, State, and Federal law enforcement agencies are on the front 
lines in responding to crimes of elder abuse. For this reason, I would 
like to take a moment to highlight the efforts of the many adult 
protective service units, local prosecutors, and other practitioners 
across the country who have helped bring the perpetrators to justice.
  I would also like to recognize family, friends, and caretakers who 
report instances of elder abuse and help their communities better 
understand the nature of this problem.
  In closing, I invite my colleagues to use World Elder Abuse Awareness 
Day as an opportunity to highlight the problem of elder abuse and to 
rededicate efforts to protect our Nation's seniors. These men and women 
are our fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers, mentors and friends. 
They are the fabric of our country and communities, our greatest 
generation, and we owe it to them to protect their dignity in their 
golden years.
  Thank you.

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