Tablets in a handReports of elder abuse are on the rise — and part of it may be due to the opiate crisis.

A story in the Boston Globe says reports of suspected elder abuse in Massachusetts have risen nearly 40 percent over the past few years and elder advocates say it is fueled in part by the opioid crisis and addicted adult children exploiting their parents or grandparents.

More addicted adult children have been moving back in with their parents in recent years and those parents are ripe for exploitation, with their monthly Social Security and pension checks the prize.

Police, firefighters and emergency medical personnel are being urged to look for signs of abuse, such as unusual bruising on elder’s wrists, suggesting signs of a struggle.

A recent New England Journal of Medicine study estimated 10 percent of the elder population has suffered abuse nationally.

Many elders are afraid to report the abuse, the story says.

If you have questions about elder law, feel free to contact us for a consultation at (626) 696-3145.

 

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