Birmingham Bar Association

Announcements

"In recent years and as America's baby-boomer generation reaches the age of retirement, elder abuse has become an important issue for state and federal legislatures to consider as part of the ongoing debate regarding health care in America. Even though many cases go unreported so exact numbers are unknown, studies have shown that between 1 and 2 million Americans age 65 or older have been injured, exploited, or otherwise mistreated by someone on whom they depended for care and protection. Research also suggests that only 1 in 14 incidents of elder abuse in domestic settings are reported and only 1 in 25 cases of elder abuse are reported for financial exploitation. Based on such a low report rate, one of the purposes of this article is to provide Alabama seniors and their loved ones with information on how to prevent elder abuse, laws that protect the elderly, and other resources that loved ones can use to assist them in identifying, reporting, and seeking recovery for elder abuse."

This is an article appearing in the January 2010 issue of Senior Living authored by J. Brannon Maner, Member of the Birmingham Bar Association - Community Education Committee, Carolynn H. Moore, Member of the Birmingham Bar Association - Elder Law Committee and Brandon K. Falls, District Attorney for Jefferson County, Alabama (Birmingham Division). Follow this link for the full text of this important article (see page 2 of Senior Living) in PDF format.