Maine Takes Lead Preventing Elder Abuse - Florida Lags Behind

by Ray Fedz Revised July 17,2007

Florida has The Fountain of Youth a legendary spring that reputedly restores the youth of anyone who drinks of its waters. Florida is said to be its location, and stories of the fountain are some of the most persistent stories associated with the state.

Maine with a population according to the 2005 census of 1,321,505 with 14.6% of the population over 65 years old has 5 Elder Abuse Task Forces and Beginning in late fall, the multidisciplinary team will go on the road and deliver statewide elder abuse training to law enforcement officers.

In contrast Florida with a population of 17,789,864 with 16.8 of the population over 65 years of age has Zero (0) Elder Abuse Task Forces and little is been done in the way of training police officers or raise awareness of prosecuters who routinely call elder financial abuse cases 'civil cases' and look the other way.

Florida's Elders and their families have the Division of Children and Families, DCF which concentrates in child abuse cases and is often hesitant to intervene in Elder Financial Abuse Cases,Neglect and Exploitation.

Unless obvious signs of physical abuse are present, like fresh bruises a lot of cases are considered 'civil matters ' by the authorities and costs of seeking remedy are beyond the reach of most elders and the families of victims whose life savings were lost as a result of the exploitation that would be the subject of the lawsuit. Financial swindles are one of the fastest growing forms of abuse of the elderly according to NCEA.