Analysis: New Mexico ranks No. 40 in elder-abuse protections
A recent analysis by WalletHub compared the 50 states and Washington, D.C., on indicators of elder-abuse protection.
New Mexico ranked No. 40 in the analysis.
“Abuse happens every day and takes many forms. Anyone can become a victim of abuse, but vulnerable older Americans — especially those who are women, have disabilities and rely on others for care or other type of assistance — are among the easiest targets for such misconduct,” said the WalletHub report. “By one estimate, elder abuse affects as many as five million people per year, and 96 percent of all cases go unreported.”
The analysis was based on 10 key indicators of elder-abuse protection. The data set ranged from “share of elder-abuse, gross-neglect and exploitation complaints” to “financial elder-abuse laws.”
New Mexico, which ranked in between Illinois (No. 39) and Nebraska (No. 41), scored the highest rank on “resources” at No. 17. The Land of Enchantment scored the worst on “protection” at No. 41. The area with the best elder protections was Washington, D.C. The state with the worst ranking was South Carolina.
“Unless an aggressive course of action is taken to prevent further abuse, the problem will grow as America becomes an increasingly aging nation,” said the WalletHub report. “Fortunately, states recognize that elder abuse is a real and growing issue. But sadly, only some are fighting hard enough to stop it.”
WalletHub is a national personal finance website. See the full analysis at wallethub.com.
