Georgia Advocates Still Want Elder Abuse Registry

The Georgia Council on Aging is once again pushing for state lawmakers to expand an elder abuse registry, and it’s one of five critical pieces of legislation the advocacy group would like to see passed in 2017. The GCA also wants lawmakers to approve new funding for transportation services for the elderly and disabled to help them meet their health care needs and improve their quality of life; funding for home and community-based services; expand access to dental health care; and enable workers to use their earned sick time to care for loved ones. According to the Georgia Department of Community Health, “Elder abuse is an underrecognized, undetected and underreported problem with devastating and life-threatening consequences.” The registry is meant to provide employers and patients a better screening method for new hires that may deter known abusers of the elderly and disabled, according to advocates. Last year, Georgia expanded its nurse aide registry, which catalogues incidents of abuse and neglect of elderly patients, to include home health care providers. Kathy Floyd, executive director of the GCA, said at the time that it was a first step “in our efforts to provide information on abusers to providers and families hiring caregivers.”

Source/more: Gainesville Times

David Wingate is an elder law attorney at the Elder Law Office of David Wingate, LLC. The elder law office services clients with powers of attorneys, living wills, Wills, Trusts, Medicaid and asset protection. The Elder Law office has locations in Frederick and Montgomery Counties, Maryland.