Elder Abuse and Neglect Basics:  Elder Abuse Laws

Both federal and state laws address elder abuse, neglect and exploitation, but state law is the primary source of sanctions, remedies and protections related to elder abuse.  This page provides a brief overview of the major areas of federal and state law related to services for elder abuse victims, civil remedies for elder abuse, neglect and exploitation, and the prosecution of crimes against elderly people.  

Federal Laws.  A few federal laws relate specifically to elder abuse and neglect, but none of these laws provides broad regulatory mechanisms for state or local programs established specifically to support services for victims of elder abuse.  Until the recent passage of the Elder Justice Act of 2009, federal law authorized little funding to states and local agencies for identification, prevention or remediation of elder abuse (see Elder Justice Act of 2009, below).  Federal criminal law aimed to address elder abuse is limited, although legislation is pending that would significantly increase federal resources to respond to crimes against the elderly (see Elder Abuse Victims Act, below).  Some examples of federal laws applicable to elder abuse are summarized below.

Elder Justice Act of 2009 was enacted in March 2010 as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590; P.L. 111-148).  The Elder Justice Act coordinates federal elder abuse detection and prevention programs within the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services.  The Act establishes an Elder Abuse Coordinating Council, composed of federal department and agency heads or designees, and an Advisory Board on Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation, composed of 27 members of the public with expertise in elder abuse prevention, detection, treatment, intervention or prosecution. 

The Elder Justice Act authorizes funding in several areas, including (1) stationary and mobile elder abuse forensic centers to develop forensic markers, methodologies for intervention, forensic expertise, and capacity to collect forensic evidence; (2) enhancement of long-term care through programs to recruit, train and retain long-term care staff; programs to improve management practices; and adoption of standards for electronic exchange of clinical data; (3) grants to enhance the provision of adult protective services by state and local agencies and to conduct demonstration programs to test training on and methods to detect and prevent elder abuse and financial exploitation; (4) grants to support long-term care ombudsman programs; (5) evaluations of grant funded activities; and (6) a national institute for training, technical assistance, and development of best practices to improve investigations of elder abuse reported in long-term care facilities. 

The Act also requires owners, operators and employees of long-term care facilities to report suspected crimes committed there and to provide 60 days written notice to the HHS Secretary and the state of a facility’s impending closure.  The notice must include a plan for transfer and adequate relocation of all residents.  Another provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires the HHS Secretary to establish a nationwide program for national and state background checks on prospective direct patient access employees of long-term care facilities and providers.

The Older Americans Act (42 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.) contains definitions of elder abuse and authorizes federal funding for the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA), a program of the U.S. Administration on Aging.  The NCEA collaborates with several organizations to promote and support elder abuse awareness initiatives, multidisciplinary responses to elder maltreatment, and professional training and education.  The NCEA currently partners with the University of Delaware’s Clearinghouse on Abuse and Neglect of the Elderly (CANE), the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, and the National Adult Protective Services Association to provide these services in states and local communities.  Congress will consider reauthorization and amendments to the Older Americans Act in 2011.  The Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging has set up mechanisms for public input on reauthorization and content of amendments.

Violence Against Women Act established federal domestic violence crimes that may be applied in cases of elder abuse.  These federal crimes are limited, however, to abuse that occurs in the federal territories or involves crossing state, federal or tribal boundaries to commit or attempt to commit a crime of violence against an intimate partner (18 U.S.C. 2261), to stalk or harass (in person or by mail or computer)(18 U.S.C. 2261A), or to violate a qualifying protection order (18 U.S.C. 2262).

The Enhanced Training and Services to End Violence and Abuse of Women Later in Life Program (42 U.S.C. 14041a), is a section in the Violence Against Women Act of 2005.  The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) administers this relatively small program, which offers discretionary grant funding for training and services to address elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation involving victims who are 50 years of age or older.  In FY 2008 OVW awarded 10 grants totaling $3.2 million.

Elder Abuse Victims Act of 2009 (H.R. 448, S. 1821) would authorize federal grant funding for training state and local prosecutors, courts, and law enforcement personnel handling elder justice-related matters.  It also would establish the Elder Serve Victim grant program to facilitate and coordinate emergency services to victims of elder abuse.  These provisions were removed from the Elder Justice Act of 2009, enacted in March 2010.  The bill is pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

State Laws.  States address elder abuse in multiple statutory areas, including adult protective services laws, criminal codes, probate and trusts and estates codes, family law, and civil remedies.  Statutory schemes vary widely and in most states the laws related to elder abuse may be embedded in several code sections.  The major categories of state laws addressing elder abuse are summarized below.

Adult protective services.  All states have adult protective services (APS) or elder protective services (EPS) statutes that authorize and regulate the provision of services in cases of elder abuse.  Some states have both EPS and APS statutes, and some states have more than one APS law.  These statutes set up systems for reporting and investigating suspected elder abuse and for delivering services to victims.  See the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging for extensive information about state adult protective services laws and legislative updates.

Eligibility for APS services typically is based on a statutorily defined disability, vulnerability or impairment, not solely on the age of the adult.  In three states (Massachusetts, Oregon, and Wisconsin), separate code sections apply exclusively to older persons, as defined by the statute.  Eligibility criteria and definitions of those criteria vary widely across the states and acquiring an adequate understanding of the requirements can be challenging in some states.  Judges, prosecutors, attorneys and other professionals involved in the justice system response to elder abuse should be familiar with their state’s threshold eligibility requirements for adult protective services.  The ABA Commission on Law and Aging has developed detailed charts on threshold eligibility criteria for adult protective services.

Long Term Care Ombudsman Program and institutional abuse laws.  All states also have statutes establishing a Long Term Care Ombudsman Program.  These programs advocate for the rights, safety and other interests of long term care facility residents.  Programs typically are administered under a state or local office on aging.  Approximately 15 states also have separate statutes that address abuse, neglect and exploitation of residents of long term care facilities and other institutions.  See the ABA Commission on Law and Aging for a list of statutes current as of December 31, 2006 (Adult Protective Services, Institutional Abuse and Long Term Care Ombudsman Program Laws: Citations by State).

Criminal codes.  All states have general criminal statutes on assault, battery, sexual assault, theft, fraud and other offenses that can be applied in cases of elder abuse.  A few states provide increased penalties for victimizing older adults (e.g., Connecticut, Indiana, and Florida).  Some states specify elder abuse as one or more separate crimes (e.g., Florida, Illinois, Missouri, and Nevada), while many states have specific crimes against family members (e.g., Virginia and Texas).

Civil remedies.  Civil remedies for particular types of elder abuse are available in most states under statutory and case law.  For example, all states provide civil remedies for domestic abuse.  See WomensLaw.org for information about and links to state domestic violence laws, including criminal statutes and civil protection orders.  Examples of other civil remedies include civil liability for identity theft, financial exploitation, and deceptive practices, petition for access to an elderly person, and removal of durable power of attorney.

Probate codes or trusts and estates statutes.  Most states address elder abuse and neglect under probate laws, trusts and estates laws, or both.  These laws are designed to protect the safety and financial interests of elderly, disabled or vulnerable adults.  All states provide protections of adults with some impairment of capacity through guardianship of the person, guardianship of financial matters and or property, and conservatorship.  These laws are explained in greater detail under the Probate and Adult Guardianships section of the web site.

Online Resources

Administration on Aging
American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging
Clearinghouse on Abuse and Neglect of the Elderly (CANE)
National Adult Protective Services Association
National Center on Elder Abuse
National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse
Office on Violence Against Women
WomensLaw.org
State Law Links Map
Probate and Adult Guardianships Section
Identifying and Responding to Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation: A Benchcard for Judges