The Denver Post reported recently about Charles Carter, an 82-year-old former lobbyist who is working to correct the fact that Colorado is one of a very few states in the U.S. without mandatory reporting laws for suspected elder abuse. School teachers and staff, doctors, and other professionals who work with children in Colorado are required to report suspected child abuse, but currently the same is not true of elder and other at-risk adult caregivers. Mr. Carter would like to change that, and one ally in his struggle is First Judicial District Attorney Scott Storey, who has said that he would like to see a law in place within the next year to two years. Mr. Carter has been lobbying for mandatory reporting for the past thirteen years. One mandatory reporting bill that he helped support actually making it through the legislature in 2005 but was vetoed by Gov. Bill Owens. Some people present arguments against mandatory reporting laws, but with such laws already in place in 46 states, there are plenty of places to look that suggest that the laws are effective and beneficial.

Has your elder loved one been abused by a caregiver?  Speak with a Boulder Elder Abuse Attorney as soon as possible to discuss your options.

Without uniform reporting procedures in place, and with many unreported cases of elder abuse, an accurate measurement of the prevalence is be impossible to gauge; nevertheless it is known to be a major problem in the country, as well as here in Colorado. According to estimates by the National Center on Elder Abuse, the frequency of elder abuse is between 2% and 10%, with only about 1 in 14 cases reported to authorities. Currently, professional caregivers in Colorado are strongly encouraged to report suspected abuse, but it seems likely that mandating that reporting would improve that 1 in 14 number, which, aside from helping more current victims of abuse, might help prevent future cases.

If you believe that your elder loved one is the victim of abuse, get him or her help immediately. If the situation is an emergency, please call 911 and get it handled. William Meyer is an experienced Boulder elder abuse attorney who can help direct you to the resources you need to help your elder family member, as well as providing the legal resources to recover compensation, and restore the dignity of your loved one. For more information and a FREE CONSULTATION, contact William at (303)444-1618.