Elder Abuse on Long Island: Causes and Solutions
About 260,000 older adults in New York are likely affected by elder abuse, but stigma leads to underreporting, experts say.
According to the "Under the Radar: New York State Elder Abuse Prevalence Study", for every one reported case of elder abuse, about 23 go unreported.
If your adult child were abusing you financially, emotionally or physically, what would you do?
The study, issued in 2011, estimates that approximately 260,000 older adults are victims of physical, sexual, financial or psychological abuse each year.
A spokesperson for the state Office for the Aging confirmed that this study is still the most recent and definitive on elder abuse prevalence.
Experts, like Jeanne Cacciatore, director of the Safe Observant Seniors program, work to address this issue on Long Island.
Author's summary: Elder abuse affects many on Long Island.
- 260,000 older adults affected by elder abuse in New York
- 1 in 24 cases reported
- Types of abuse: physical, sexual, financial, psychological