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Senator Pamela A. Helming (R,C,I-Canandaigua) announce that a bill that she supported in the New York State Senate to require state agencies to develop guidelines to help healthcare providers be able to better identify cases of elder abuse, self-neglect, and maltreatment was signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo last week. The original legislation, S.6676 in the Senate, was sponsored by Senator Sue Serino (R-Hyde Park) and Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo (D-Endwell), and it passed both houses unanimously.

The law, which takes effect immediately, directs the New York State Office for the Aging, the Department of Health, and the Office of Children and Family Services to develop guidelines to assist healthcare providers and others in healthcare settings to identify suspected self-neglect, abuse, and maltreatment of individuals age 60 and older. The guidelines will include common signs and symptoms, screening tools and questions to ask for detection, training materials to distribute to health care providers and others in healthcare settings, information for reporting suspected cases, and resources available for older adult victims. The three agencies will make the developed guidelines and materials available on their respective websites and provide these guidelines and materials to healthcare providers and facilities.

"I have visited with several senior citizens organizations and noticed how our senior citizens are among our most active residents in terms of their community service and other activities they perform on a daily basis. However, they are also among our most vulnerable residents because they face the threat of abuse and maltreatment from those who should be taking care of them and looking out for them. This legislation will work to mitigate that threat by developing guidelines that healthcare providers can use to be on the lookout for these situations. I am proud to support this important measure for our senior citizens," Senator Helming said.

Elder abuse has become one of the most underreported crimes in our country, as elderly victims who are experiencing abuse from loved ones, friends, or neighbors often refuse to report the abuse out of fear, embarrassment, or desire to protect their abuser. This lack of action often leads only to situations that continue to compromise the financial, physical, and mental health of victims and result in real impacts with tragic consequences. Senior citizens who experience even moderate abuse have a 300 percent higher risk of death compared to those who have not been abused, and there are high correlations between elder abuse and maltreatment and hospitalizations rates, readmissions, and mortality. Healthcare providers see patients at regular intervals and develop long-term relationships of trust, so they have significant opportunities to identify elder abuse and maltreatment.

"The guidelines that will be developed and distributed by the Office for the Aging, the Department of Health, and the Office of Children and Family Services will make tremendous strides toward ensuring that we protect our senior citizens and do not allow them to become victims of abuse and maltreatment. They have contributed so much to our communities throughout their lifetimes, and they continue to give back in many ways even in their golden years. Keeping our senior citizens healthy, happy, and safe is just the thing to do in return," Senator Helming said.

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