Here are the best (and worst) states for elder abuse

Did you know that over 10% of Americans over the age of 60 suffer from elder abuse? A new report highlights which states are the worst offender and which others are preventing abuse.

Seniors are especially vulnerable during this period of high inflation, and LGBTQ seniors may be at risk during a time of increased tensions around our community’s rights, nationwide.

Personal-finance website WalletHub has now released its report on 2022’s States with the Best Elder-Abuse Protections, as well as expert commentary.  

Some states are working better than others to combat elder abuse, and to find out who is doing best, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 16 key metrics. The data set ranges from “elder-abuse, gross-neglect and exploitation complaints” to “financial elder-abuse laws.”

Vulnerable older Americans are among the easiest targets for misconduct, with those who identify as women, and those who have disabilities and rely on others for care especially at risk.

With many cases going unreported, and America’s population aging, the problem is likely to grow. The U.S. Census Bureau expects the population aged 65 and older to nearly double from 43.1 million in 2012 to 85.7 million in 2050. By 2030, 1 in 5 U.S. residents will be retirement age.

Here are some key finding from the WalletHub study:

• The District of Columbia has the highest total long-term care Ombudsman program funding (per resident aged 65 and older), $9.66, which is 13.8 times higher than in Florida, the state with the lowest at $0.70.

• Alaska has the most certified volunteer Ombudsmen (per 100,000 residents aged 65 and older), 78, whereas Alabama, Mississippi, South Dakota and West Virginia are among the states that have none. Alaska also has the highest nursing-home quality (share of certified nursing-home beds rated 4 or 5 stars), 85.50 percent, which is four times higher than in Louisiana, the state with the lowest at 21.40 percent.

• Connecticut, Hawaii, Missouri and Wisconsin have the most frequent assisted-living facility inspections, twice per year, which is ten times more frequent than in Nebraska, the state with the lowest frequency at once every five years.

To view the full report and your state or the District’s rank, go here.

States with the Best Elder-Abuse Protections	States with the Worst Elder-Abuse Protections
1. Wisconsin	42. Oklahoma
2. Massachusetts	43. Nebraska
3. Ohio	44. Nevada
4. North Carolina	45. South Dakota
5. Iowa	46. California
6. Kentucky	47. Tennessee
7. Louisiana	48. New Jersey
8. Washington	49. South Carolina
9. Pennsylvania	50. Montana
10. West Virginia	51. Utah