The Elder Justice Act (HR 1783) received a heap of
accolades from senior care advocates and industry representatives at a hearing
on Capitol Hill Thursday.
Testimony from AARP and Robert Blancato, national
coordinator of the Elder Justice Coalition, highlighted the care community's
support of the bill, which was introduced last year by Representative Rahm
Emanuel (D-IL).
Among the more than 556,000 confirmed cases of elder
abuse recorded in 2004, 20,000 of those occurred in a nursing home or long-term
care facility, said Blancato, speaking to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on
Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security. In its submitted testimony, AARP echoed
Blancato's sentiments of concern and praised the legislation.
Among the provisions of the bill: federal funding for
adult protective services, improved APS training and investigations, required
immediate reporting of crimes in nursing homes and long-term care facilities,
and the creation of a National Training Institute for Surveyors of long-term
care facilities.