SPRINGFIELD – To protect vulnerable older adults from abuse, state Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, sponsored a measure to increase reporting and investigation on elder abuse as a culmination of her work on the Illinois Elder Abuse Task Force. The governor signed Stuart’s measure into law on July 26.

“Over the last two years, I have worked with a variety of stakeholders to understand the cause of elder abuse and what we can do to better protect seniors in our communities,” said Stuart. “I want to thank everyone who worked on the task force and everyone who was involved in crafting this landmark legislation.”

Stuart sponsored Senate Bill 701, which makes several changes to the Adult Protective Services Act. The measure designates abandonment as a form of abuse, extends the statutes of limitations for financial fraud, creates a risk assessment tool to identify individuals at risk for abuse, adds friend or acquaintances as a person of trust for financial exploitation and increases trauma-informed training for caregivers. 

 “The work on the Elder Abuse Taskforce, along with improvements realized through this legislation, will improve identification and reporting to prevent cases of underreporting and help keep our seniors safe,” continued Stuart. “I look forward to continued work to fight elder abuse and neglect within our community.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. John Connor, D-Lockport, backed a new law battling elder abuse and exploitation which requires face-to-face assessments of a senior’s living situation and interviews with family members, friends and neighbors in the case of a report of mistreatment.

“We have to do a better job ensuring that seniors are treated with the care and respect they deserve,” Connor said. “The safety and security of our community is my first priority and I will work to ensure criminals can’t take advantage of our senior citizens who are living on a fixed income and already vulnerable to huge and unpredictable health care costs.”

Connor supported House Bill 3065, which requires state agencies investigating reports of abuse, neglect or financial exploitation of senior citizens to interview family members, friends, neighbors and anyone else who may have direct knowledge of the situation. Face-to-face interviews will ensure thorough inquiries into every report, and help eliminate lax examinations that leave elders in abusive situations. The legislation was passed with strong bipartisan support and is now law.

“Retirees deserve to live a safe and comfortable life, and to be left alone by con artists and crooks,” Connor said. “This law requires that, in the case of a complaint, in-person meetings will get every case gets the attention it needs. There is more work to be done, but we are making progress towards our goal of an Illinois that is safer and stronger.”