| 1 | | - | Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 64 CHAPTER 116 Relative to Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Awareness Month. [ Filed with Secretary of State July 06, 2023. ] LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSCR 64, Dodd. Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Awareness Month.This measure would proclaim and acknowledge the month of June 2023 as Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Awareness Month in California and would reiterate the importance of annually recognizing Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Awareness Month in the state.Digest Key Fiscal Committee: NO Bill TextWHEREAS, The population of Californians over 60 years of age is expected to increase 166 percent during the period from 2010 to 2060, inclusive, with more than one-half of the counties seeing a 100-percent increase in this age group; andWHEREAS, Research by the National Institute of Justice found that 11 percent of older adults reported experiencing at least one form of mistreatment in the past year, including emotional, physical, nutritional, or sexual mistreatment, or neglect; andWHEREAS, It is estimated that only 1 in 24 incidents are reported and fewer than 15 percent of those harmed access formal support services each year; andWHEREAS, Many victims of abuse fail to report out of fear of losing their relationships with those harming them, shame that someone they trust mistreated them, or distrust of the police and agencies charged to help them; andWHEREAS, Elder and dependent adult abuse may be physical, emotional, sexual, or financial. The abuse knows no boundaries with respect to the gender, race, culture, religion, geographic location, or economic, educational, or social status of the victim; andWHEREAS, Financial abuse ranked first among the types of abuse reported to adult protective services during 202122, with nearly 51,000 reports received; andWHEREAS, According to the Federal Bureau of Investigations Internet Crime Complaint Center, over 92,000 victims above 60 years of age reported scam-related losses equaling $1,700,000,000 in 2021, a 74-percent increase from 2020; and WHEREAS, Barriers to accessing help include cognitive and communication impairments, literacy, lack of culturally specific services, and shame. Additionally, elders may distrust their ability to protect themselves, self-advocate, report to authorities when the abuse occurs, or to testify against perpetrators; andWHEREAS, Factors that place older Californians at risk for abuse include cognitive and physical decline, dementia, isolation, and loneliness, as well as a lack of access to preventive services like estate planning, daily money management, affordable supported housing, and assistance with decisionmaking; and WHEREAS, One in every nine individuals over 65 years of age is living with Alzheimers disease or dementia, 20 to 25 percent of the older adult population experience mild cognitive impairment, and one in two people with dementia experience some form of abuse by others; and WHEREAS, During the COVID-19 pandemic, seniors experienced an increase in stress and isolation, both of which have been shown to be highly detrimental to health; andWHEREAS, Abuse is most likely to occur to older adults who are isolated from their community. It has been well publicized that older adults are at the highest risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19, but they may also be at increased risk for negative consequences from the measures being enacted to protect them from the viral threat; andWHEREAS, Subtle indicators that abuse may be occurring include bruises or pressure marks, unexplained withdrawal from normal activities, a change in alertness, unusual depression, sudden changes in financial situations, strained or tense relationships, or frequent arguments; andWHEREAS, Recognizing these signs is the first step toward the prevention of elder and dependent adult abuse; andWHEREAS, Elders who experience abuse or mistreatment face a greater risk of impacting the health system or impacting the social service system; andWHEREAS, Elder and dependent adult abuse victims have a mortality rate three times that of the general public and are 300 percent more likely to die a premature death; andWHEREAS, All older adults, including those with disabilities, have the right to live safely in the least restrictive environment, whether in their homes or in health care facilities, and enjoy an optimum quality of life while being protected from all forms of injustice; andWHEREAS, California has only recently begun collecting comprehensive data on abuse cases, including reports and investigations. This leaves the government with not only a limited capacity to track existing trends and make informed decisions regarding the strategic use of existing resources, but a limited ability to improve the reporting system, enhance protections, or give law enforcement partners the tools necessary to secure justice; and WHEREAS, Private citizens and public agencies must work to combat crime and violence against older adults and adults with disabilities by identifying and preventing the social isolation of elders, through the expansion and resourcing of home- and community-based long-term support and services programs, by increasing law enforcement, increasing public awareness, and expanding social service programs; and WHEREAS, Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Awareness Month in California aligns with World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, first established in 2006 and observed on June 15 every year and created to promote a better understanding of the cultural, social, economic, and demographic issues associated with abuse around the globe; andWHEREAS, On June 10, 2019, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order No. N-14-19, calling for the development of a 10-year Master Plan for Aging (MPA) to serve as a blueprint for state government, local government, the private sector, and philanthropy to prepare the state for the coming demographic changes and continue Californias leadership in aging, disability, and equity; andWHEREAS, Goal 3 of the MPA, Inclusion and Equity, Not Isolation, calls for lifelong opportunities for older Californians and protection against isolation, discrimination, abuse, neglect, and exploitation; andWHEREAS, All Californians are strongly encouraged to report suspected abuse of an elder or dependent adult by calling their local adult protective services agency, local Long-Term Care Ombudsman program, law enforcement, or emergency services agencies; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature proclaims and acknowledges the month of June 2023 as Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Awareness Month and reiterates the importance of annually recognizing Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Awareness Month in the state; and be it furtherResolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution. |
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| 1 | + | Enrolled June 29, 2023 Passed IN Senate June 05, 2023 Passed IN Assembly June 22, 2023 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 64Introduced by Senator Dodd(Coauthor: Senator Ochoa Bogh)(Coauthors: Assembly Members Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Cervantes, Chen, Connolly, Megan Dahle, Davies, Dixon, Essayli, Flora, Mike Fong, Vince Fong, Friedman, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Holden, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Lackey, Low, Mathis, McCarty, McKinnor, Stephanie Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Rendon, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Robert Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Santiago, Schiavo, Ta, Villapudua, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Weber, Wilson, Wood, and Zbur)May 04, 2023 Relative to Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Awareness Month. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSCR 64, Dodd. Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Awareness Month.This measure would proclaim and acknowledge the month of June 2023 as Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Awareness Month in California and would reiterate the importance of annually recognizing Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Awareness Month in the state.Digest Key Fiscal Committee: NO Bill TextWHEREAS, The population of Californians over 60 years of age is expected to increase 166 percent during the period from 2010 to 2060, inclusive, with more than one-half of the counties seeing a 100-percent increase in this age group; andWHEREAS, Research by the National Institute of Justice found that 11 percent of older adults reported experiencing at least one form of mistreatment in the past year, including emotional, physical, nutritional, or sexual mistreatment, or neglect; andWHEREAS, It is estimated that only 1 in 24 incidents are reported and fewer than 15 percent of those harmed access formal support services each year; andWHEREAS, Many victims of abuse fail to report out of fear of losing their relationships with those harming them, shame that someone they trust mistreated them, or distrust of the police and agencies charged to help them; andWHEREAS, Elder and dependent adult abuse may be physical, emotional, sexual, or financial. The abuse knows no boundaries with respect to the gender, race, culture, religion, geographic location, or economic, educational, or social status of the victim; andWHEREAS, Financial abuse ranked first among the types of abuse reported to adult protective services during 202122, with nearly 51,000 reports received; andWHEREAS, According to the Federal Bureau of Investigations Internet Crime Complaint Center, over 92,000 victims above 60 years of age reported scam-related losses equaling $1,700,000,000 in 2021, a 74-percent increase from 2020; and WHEREAS, Barriers to accessing help include cognitive and communication impairments, literacy, lack of culturally specific services, and shame. Additionally, elders may distrust their ability to protect themselves, self-advocate, report to authorities when the abuse occurs, or to testify against perpetrators; andWHEREAS, Factors that place older Californians at risk for abuse include cognitive and physical decline, dementia, isolation, and loneliness, as well as a lack of access to preventive services like estate planning, daily money management, affordable supported housing, and assistance with decisionmaking; and WHEREAS, One in every nine individuals over 65 years of age is living with Alzheimers disease or dementia, 20 to 25 percent of the older adult population experience mild cognitive impairment, and one in two people with dementia experience some form of abuse by others; and WHEREAS, During the COVID-19 pandemic, seniors experienced an increase in stress and isolation, both of which have been shown to be highly detrimental to health; andWHEREAS, Abuse is most likely to occur to older adults who are isolated from their community. It has been well publicized that older adults are at the highest risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19, but they may also be at increased risk for negative consequences from the measures being enacted to protect them from the viral threat; andWHEREAS, Subtle indicators that abuse may be occurring include bruises or pressure marks, unexplained withdrawal from normal activities, a change in alertness, unusual depression, sudden changes in financial situations, strained or tense relationships, or frequent arguments; andWHEREAS, Recognizing these signs is the first step toward the prevention of elder and dependent adult abuse; andWHEREAS, Elders who experience abuse or mistreatment face a greater risk of impacting the health system or impacting the social service system; andWHEREAS, Elder and dependent adult abuse victims have a mortality rate three times that of the general public and are 300 percent more likely to die a premature death; andWHEREAS, All older adults, including those with disabilities, have the right to live safely in the least restrictive environment, whether in their homes or in health care facilities, and enjoy an optimum quality of life while being protected from all forms of injustice; andWHEREAS, California has only recently begun collecting comprehensive data on abuse cases, including reports and investigations. This leaves the government with not only a limited capacity to track existing trends and make informed decisions regarding the strategic use of existing resources, but a limited ability to improve the reporting system, enhance protections, or give law enforcement partners the tools necessary to secure justice; and WHEREAS, Private citizens and public agencies must work to combat crime and violence against older adults and adults with disabilities by identifying and preventing the social isolation of elders, through the expansion and resourcing of home- and community-based long-term support and services programs, by increasing law enforcement, increasing public awareness, and expanding social service programs; and WHEREAS, Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Awareness Month in California aligns with World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, first established in 2006 and observed on June 15 every year and created to promote a better understanding of the cultural, social, economic, and demographic issues associated with abuse around the globe; andWHEREAS, On June 10, 2019, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order No. N-14-19, calling for the development of a 10-year Master Plan for Aging (MPA) to serve as a blueprint for state government, local government, the private sector, and philanthropy to prepare the state for the coming demographic changes and continue Californias leadership in aging, disability, and equity; andWHEREAS, Goal 3 of the MPA, Inclusion and Equity, Not Isolation, calls for lifelong opportunities for older Californians and protection against isolation, discrimination, abuse, neglect, and exploitation; andWHEREAS, All Californians are strongly encouraged to report suspected abuse of an elder or dependent adult by calling their local adult protective services agency, local Long-Term Care Ombudsman program, law enforcement, or emergency services agencies; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature proclaims and acknowledges the month of June 2023 as Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Awareness Month and reiterates the importance of annually recognizing Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Awareness Month in the state; and be it furtherResolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution. |
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