NC Ranked Among Top States With Protections Against Elder Abuse

There’s no way to sugar coat it, America is getting older, and consequently, potentially more vulnerable when it comes to personal finances. The number of adults in the U.S. age 65 and over is expected to double by the year 2060, which prompted personal finance site, WalletHub, to analyze which states have the best elder-abuse protections.

Elder abuse stands to affect as many as 5 million senior citizens annually, yet only an estimated four percent of cases are reported, according to WalletHub. When it comes to protecting the interests of the elderly, North Carolina ranks among the top states in the nation, WalletHub found.

“Fortunately, states recognize that elder abuse is a real and growing issue. But sadly, only some are fighting hard enough to stop it,” WalletHub said in its study.

WalletHub analyzed elder abuse laws in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, looking at 11 key indicators. When it came to states with the best overall elder-abuse protections, Nevada came in No. 1 in the U.S., with California ranked as the worst at No. 51.

North Carolina was ranked No. 9 overall, but did very well in two specific areas. In its most recent study, 2017’s States with the Best Elder-Abuse Protections, WalletHub found that North Carolina was No. 1 when it came to financial elder-abuse laws and its number of certified volunteer ombudsmen. It came in No. 13 for its number of eldercare organizations and services, and No. 18 for its total long-term care ombudsman-program funding.

When it came to the state’s elder-abuse, gross-neglect and exploitation complaints, however, the Tar Heel state was average, coming in with a ranking of No. 24.

You can read the entire report on states with the best elder-abuse protections here.

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