Area Partnership Aims to Curb Elder Abuse

By Liesel Nowak / lnowak@dailyprogress.com 978-7274 February 19, 2007

Social workers, police and prosecutors in Albemarle County are teaming up to help protect elderly and disabled residents from physical, sexual and financial abuse in a new program seeking to open the lines of communication among investigators.

“We’ve gone from 145 investigations of abuse, neglect and exploitation in 2000 to over 370 last year,” Cattell-Gordon said, pointing to a “rapid rise” in financial scams.

Also disturbing is the prospect that a family member is exploiting his or her elderly relative. This is not uncommon, according to assistant prosecutor Rick Moore, and difficult to prosecute.

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