On July 30, the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging will hold a hearing to address elder abuse and neglect. The session, titled “Awareness to Action: Combating Elder Abuse and Neglect,” is scheduled for 3:30 PM in the Dirksen Senate Office Building (SD-106) and will be led by Chairman Rick Scott and Ranking Member Kirsten Gillibrand.
The hearing aims to examine how Congress can strengthen protections for older Americans through the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act (OAA). This law provides funding for programs that help protect the health, safety, and dignity of seniors. According to committee leaders, both Scott and Gillibrand have worked with eight bipartisan colleagues to reintroduce the OAA this year and are advocating for its swift passage.
Committee members plan to discuss current challenges related to elder abuse as well as effective policies already implemented at the state level. The agenda includes testimony from several witnesses who will share their perspectives on improving public awareness, coordination among caregivers and law enforcement, and community-based efforts aimed at early detection, reporting, and prevention of elder mistreatment.
Witnesses scheduled to testify include Maricela Morado, President & CEO of Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida; Nelson Bunn, Executive Director of the National District Attorneys Association; Sean Voskuhl, Oklahoma State Director of AARP; and Lori Smetanka, Executive Director of National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care.
A live broadcast of the hearing will be available online HERE.
“Awareness to Action: Combating Elder Abuse and Neglect” seeks not only to highlight ongoing problems but also explore solutions that may lead to legislative action designed to better protect aging Americans.
