The legal and governmental response to domestic elder abuse

Older Americans constitute the fastest growing segment of the United States population and may account for 20% of the Unites States population by 2050. The federal government has taken minimal action to identify and solve their problems. Due to the federal government's inaction, states have become the primary engine for combating abuse. This is most often seen through adult protective services, which primarily consist of mandatory reporting laws, involuntary interventions, and educational programs. Funding is the primary roadblock to the successful execution of state laws targeting domestic elder abuse. The proposed federal Elder Justice Act of 2003, if passed, may fill in the gaps of current federal legislation by implementing a uniform method of response to domestic elder abuse and providing funding to the states to rectify instances of abuse.