[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 110 (Monday, June 15, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2976-S2977]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 621--DESIGNATING JUNE 15, 2020, AS ``WORLD ELDER 
                         ABUSE AWARENESS DAY''

  Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Collins, Mr. Wyden, 
Mr. Tillis, Mr. Casey, and Ms. Ernst) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 621

       Whereas, in 2006, the International Network for the 
     Prevention of Elder Abuse proclaimed June 15th of each year 
     as ``World Elder Abuse Awareness Day'';
       Whereas approximately 55,000,000 residents of the United 
     States, or about 1 in every 6 individuals, have attained the 
     age of 65 on the 15th anniversary of World Elder Abuse 
     Awareness Day in 2020;
       Whereas elder abuse can come in many different forms, often 
     manifesting as physical, sexual, or psychological abuse, 
     financial exploitation, neglect, and social media abuse;
       Whereas elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation have no 
     boundaries and cross all racial, social, class, gender, and 
     geographic lines, according to the Elder Justice Coalition;
       Whereas more than 1 in 10 individuals in the United States 
     over the age of 60 have been subjected to abuse each year, 
     with many such victims enduring abuse in multiple forms, 
     according to the American Journal of Public Health;
       Whereas most reported cases of abuse, neglect, and 
     exploitation of older adults take place within private homes, 
     and approximately 90 percent of the perpetrators in elder 
     financial exploitation cases are family members or other 
     trusted individuals, according to the National Adult 
     Protective Services Association;
       Whereas research suggests that elderly individuals in the 
     United States who experience cognitive impairment, physical 
     disabilities, and isolation are more likely to become the 
     victims of abuse than those without disabilities;
       Whereas other risk factors for elder abuse can include low 
     social support, poor physical health, and experience of 
     previous traumatic events, according to the National Center 
     on Elder Abuse;
       Whereas close to half of elderly individuals who suffer 
     from dementia will experience abuse during their lifetime, 
     according to the Department of Justice;
       Whereas only a small fraction of elder abuse cases are 
     reported to the authorities;
       Whereas there is a need to increase funding for adult 
     protective services programs with the capacity to aid 
     victims, investigate reports of abuse, and actively prevent 
     future victimization, particularly during the ongoing COVID-
     19 pandemic, as the social isolation of elderly individuals 
     due to stay-at-home orders only increases the risk of abuse 
     and neglect;
       Whereas the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has fueled demand for 
     programs such as State long-term care ombudsman programs, 
     which help prevent elder abuse and neglect in nursing homes 
     and other long-term care facilities, where infection 
     prevention and control deficiencies pose persistent 
     challenges;
       Whereas 2020 marks the 10th anniversary of the passage of 
     the Elder Justice Act (subtitle H of title VI of Public Law 
     111-148) and the 3rd anniversary of the passage of the Elder 
     Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act (Public Law 115-70);
       Whereas public awareness of elder abuse has the potential 
     to increase the identification and reporting of this crime 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 in the 
     United States must work together at the Federal, State, and 
     local levels to combat abuse, neglect, exploitation, crime, 
     and violence against vulnerable adults, including vulnerable 
     older adults, particularly in light of limited resources for 
     vital protective services: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates June 15, 2020, as ``World Elder Abuse 
     Awareness Day'';
       (2) recognizes judges, lawyers, adult protective services 
     professionals, law enforcement officers, State long-term care 
     ombudsmen, social workers, health care providers,

[[Page S2977]]

     advocates for victims, and other professionals and agencies 
     for their efforts to advance awareness of elder abuse;
       (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--
       (A) by reaching out to local adult protective services 
     agencies, State long-term care ombudsman programs, and the 
     National Center on Elder Abuse; and
       (B) by learning to recognize, detect, report, and respond 
     to elder abuse; and
       (4) encourages those Federal agencies with responsibility 
     for preventing elder abuse to fully exercise such 
     responsibilities to protect older adults, whether living in 
     the community or in long-term care facilities.

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