LANSING – Macomb County State Representatives today took a stand against elder abuse in Michigan by voting to pass the first wave of a package of bills that will strengthen consumer protections for seniors and increase penalties for those who financially exploit them. The Elder Abuse Protection Plan is part of the lawmakers' ongoing effort to strengthen Michigan's faltering consumer protection laws. The lawmakers called for the Senate to pass the plan quickly.
"The unfortunate truth is when our seniors are dependent on assistance, they often become prime targets for victimization," said State Representative Sarah Roberts (D-St. Clair Shores), a sponsor of the plan. "Whether it is physical, emotional or even financial – elder abuse is a crime that needs to be addressed in Michigan. Today, we are one step closer toward ensuring that our seniors have the protection they deserve."
The plan that began moving today addresses elder abuse by:
- Increasing penalties for cheating or defrauding seniors, including establishing felony charges and banning abusers from inheriting from the estate of their victim.
- Empowering concerned citizens to file criminal complaints to stop and prevent abuse cases in nursing homes and elsewhere.
- Strengthening consumer protections by requiring financial institutions to do more to disclose the rights of seniors and create new safeguards against fraud.
- Creating the "Mozelle Alert" – an alert to notify the public in cases of missing endangered seniors, similar to the Amber Alert. The alert is named in honor of Estella Mozelle Pierce, a senior who died after wandering from her Southwest Detroit home.
"In order to stop elder abuse from happening in Michigan we must strengthen protections for our seniors," said State Representative Jon Switalski (D-Warren), a sponsor of the plan. "Passing this plan today will increase safeguards for seniors, create tougher penalties for abusers and help ensure this underreported problem is brought to the forefront. I encourage my colleagues in the Senate to join us in standing up for Michigan seniors and passing this important plan."
Reports of elder abuse have increased 40 percent since 1998, according to the Michigan Department of Human Services. Michigan's Adult Protective Services received more than 16,300 reports of adult mistreatment in 2008. Based on estimates of how often abuse goes unreported, this suggests that more than 73,000 of Michigan's adults are abused every year, according to the National Center on Elder Abuse.
"Thousands of Michigan seniors who have worked hard all their lives to provide for their families are now being mistreated," said State Representative Jennifer Haase (D-Richmond). "These are our parents, grandparents, friends and neighbors, and we must do everything in our power to make sure they are protected. This plan will help stop elder abuse from happening in our communities and truly make a difference in the lives of many of our seniors."
To report a suspected case of elder abuse, residents can call the state's 24-hour toll-free hotline at (800) 996-6228.