(Des Moines)– This Friday (7/1), Iowa’s new elder abuse law goes into effect. Those who pushed for its passage hope victims are aware of the added protections and will speak up about their situation. Supporters say the law covers a lot of gaps in state statute dealing with elder abuse. The changes include a new crime addressing financial exploitation of an older individual. And there are enhanced penalties for assault as well as theft, when a person is targeted because of their age. Anthony Carroll of A-A-R-P Iowa says these crimes often go unreported. He says not only do they want to prevent incidents, they also want to inspire action…
Carroll says the law strikes a good balance in establishing accountability, while still allowing older adults to seek services from financial institutions and donate to trusted fundraisers. In addition to law enforcement, Iowa’s six Area Agencies on Aging offer guidance in these situations. A-A-R-P Iowa has put more details of the new law on its website.
(Courtesy Iowa News Service)
