Rhode Island Among Worst States for Elder Abuse, Report Says

CRANSTON, RI — Rhode Island has landed on another "worst state for" list, according to Wallet Hub, a personal finance website.

This time, it's for the worst elder abuse prevention.

According to the study, Rhode Island ranked 49th worst out of 51 (on the list of 50 states and the District of Columbia) for the highest rates of elder abuse, gross neglect and exploitation complaints per resident 65 and older.

Little Rhody came in at number 47 for the fewest eldercare organizations and services per resident 65 and older.

But Rhode Island also spent the second highest amounts on elder abuse prevention.

Massachusetts spent more, but apparently got more value for its dime. The Bay State had the third best elder-abuse protections in the nation.

Overall, Rhode Island secured the 48th worst spot on the list.

According to the study, the "states recognize that elder abuse is a real and growing issue. But sadly, only some are fighting hard enough to stop it." The study looked at nursing home quality, number of eldercare organizations and services, number of volunteer organizations, elder abuse laws and the number of complaints.

"By one estimate, elder abuse affects as many as 5 million people per year, and 96 percent of all cases go unreported," the study said.

Rhode Island's Division of Elderly Affairs said it issued its own report.

"In June 2016, the Division of Elderly Affairs released The Rhode Island Annual Report on Elder Abuse for 2015 available here," the agency said, but there was no website link provided and a Google search turned up nothing.

Meghan Connelly, Chief Program Development at the Rhode Island Division of Elderly Affairs, said "while we are cautious in responding to the report from WalletHub due to a lack of transparency and knowledge of the data set(s) utilized, we do support raising awareness about how to recognize and respond to elder abuse since that is a critical element in reducing abuse."

Connelly said the Division of Elderly Affairs has promoted "a number of activities to educate the public on recognizing, preventing, and reporting elder abuse."

Specifically, she said, "RIDEA partners with local agencies, such as the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence, The Elder Abuse Prosecution Unit at the Rhode Island Department of Attorney General, The Commission for the Safety and Care of the Elderly, and The POINT Aging and Disabilities Resource Centers."

Rhode Island does have mandatory reporting if elder abuse is suspected, but "not all reports are substantiated as elder abuse or self-neglect," she said.

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