Senate committee to examine elder abuse

Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Herb Kohl (D-WI) will hold a hearing this Wednesday in Washington to address the issue of elder abuse.

The hearing will focus on S. 1577, the Patient Safety and Abuse Prevention Act of 2007. The bill would establish a nationwide system of background checks to prevent those with criminal histories from working within long-term care settings. Kohl and Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) introduced the bill last month.

Three panels will offer testimony on particular cases of elder abuse, research initiatives, state standards and other issues. The hearing, entitled “Abuse of Our Elders: How We Can Stop It,” will take place at 10:30 a.m. EST in the Dirksen Senate Office Building.