[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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