The bipartisan Promoting Alzheimer’s Awareness to Prevent Elder Abuse Act (S.3703/H.R. 6813) legislation, championed by the Alzheimer’s Association and Alzheimer’s Impact Movement, unanimously was passed last week by the U.S. House of Representatives.
Introduced in the House by Reps. Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), the bill requires the Department of Justice to develop training materials to assist professionals supporting victims of abuse and living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
According to AIM, as many as 62% of older adults with dementia experience psychological abuse, and as many as one-fourth have been physically abused, yet police, firefighters, emergency personnel and other professionals who deal with elder abuse have little knowledge about working with people who have dementia.
“Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, legislation like this is even more necessary since there may be increased risk for elder abuse, including elder financial exploitation,” said Robert Egge, chief public policy officer at the Alzheimer’s Association and executive director of AIM.
