Elder abuse is a real issue, and it happens daily. Most of these crimes are vastly under-reported, and the State government should do more to prevent elder abuse in Illinois.

The Illinois Department on Aging, tasked with responding to distress or abuse reports, received more than 20,000 reports of adult abuse in 2020 alone.

Abuse of the #elderly happens in many ways, including emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, passive neglect, financial exploitation, willful deprivation, and confinement.

These #abuses typically happen when the elderly can't independently take care of themselves, becoming vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.

One solution is to regulate #nursinghomes. However, most cases are committed by a family member.

The #Illinois Elder Abuse Task Force isn't doing a great job of preventing further abuses of the elderly, which needs to change.

Simply regulating nursing homes in Illinois isn’t enough. The Adult Protective Services program and the Illinois Elder Abuse Task Force must change their approach to ensure #eldersafety.

One reason #elderabuse is underreported is that the abused simply don’t know who to tell and are typically surrounded by the abuser and family members, who are included in the investigation of abuse and often not considered subjects.

The state government and agencies set up to protect aged persons should pay attention to this problem and find ways to more effectively ensure these abused elders get justice and aren't subjected to future abuse.

Elders are an essential part of our population; the abuse that they are suffering can cause a traumatic health collapse or a total loss of independence, which might lead to a tragic death.