California’s population is projected to age rapidly in the coming decades. By the year 2030, adults over 65 will outnumber children under 18, according to data from the state’s department of finance. Today, seniors over 65 make up 14 percent of the population, but that number will increase to 23 percent over the next 11 years. And as the population ages, issues like elder abuse are becoming more common. According to the National Council On Aging, 1 in 10 Americans over age 60 have experienced some form of elder abuse, yet estimates suggest that only 1 in 14 cases are actually reported to authorities.
To learn more about the problem, and why so many cases go unreported, we spoke with USC professor Kathleen Wilber with the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. She says in many cases, victims are either unable to report an ubusive incident, or choose not to, either out of shame or to protect a family member.
Links:
California Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
Adult Protective Services - Fresno County
Adult Protective Services - Kern County
Adult Protective Services - Tulare County
Public Guardian Elder Abuse - Kings County
Public Guardian Elder Abuse - Madera County
Adult Protective Services Merced County
