The recently passed Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 includes language that will help protect seniors from elder abuse. The law provides $9 million per year in funding for programs which specifically aid women over 50 through the year 2018.
The funding offers grants that may be awarded by the Attorney General, through the Director of the Office on Violence Against Women. The bill states the grants will provide funding that can be used for: training programs to assist in the prosecution of elder abuse, providing or enhancing services for victims of elder abuse, creating or supporting multidisciplinary collaborative community responses to victims of elder abuse, and conducting cross-training for organizations serving victims of elder abuse.
The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 was passed by the US Senate on February 12, 2013, and was later passed by the House of Representatives on February 28. President Barack Obama signed the bill into law on March 7.
According to the Government Accountability Office, reported cases of elder abuse have been on the rise, particularly the financial exploitation of seniors. Recent studies have shown that one in four Americans will be aged 60 or older by 2050, making elder abuse a growing concern for the future.
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