Elder Law

Congressman Recognizes World Alzheimer?s Day

By Levin & Perconti

Congressman Sestak recognized World Alzheimer?s Day by urging congress to pass legislation protecting Alzheimer patients from elder abuse. The Congressman wants legislation to protect Alzheimer patients from the growing epidemic of nursing home abuse, neglect and exploitation of vulnerable seniors like those suffering from Alzheimer?s. The bill is called the Elder Abuse Victims Act and would protect the estimated two million seniors who annually fall victim to elder abuse. Currently, an estimated 5 million Americans have Alzheimer?s disease. The bill would institute a national review of state and federal elder abuse programs and authorizing increased funding for elder abuse prosecution and law enforcement departments. The Congressman believes that the funding authorized in the Elder Abuse Victims Act will be critical to identifying the extent of the problem and ensuring the necessary programs are created and supported to combat the problem. The Congressman also co-sponsored a bill which provides grants to public and nonprofit private health care providers to expand treatment services for patients with Alzheimer?s disease. To read more about the nursing home legislation, please click the link.

Full post as published by Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog on September 22, 2009 (boomark / email).