Elder Abuse - Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference

Tennessee is talking about elder abuse.

Bringing an end to elder abuse has been a Conference priority for many years. We have built awareness around this often under reported crime by providing multi-disciplinary trainings for law enforcement and other stakeholders. Further, we have taken this conversation into our communities by sharing victim testimonials, warning signs and information on the different forms of neglect. Last but certainly not least, we have worked with the Tennessee General Assembly to ensure that when elder abuse is reported, Tennessee’s prosecutors have the tools they need to protect their communities.

Approximately one in 10 Americans aged 60-plus have experienced some form of elder abuse. (National Council on Aging)

By 2030 seniors will make up 22% of the Tennessee population, compared to just 13% in 2010. (TN Comptroller of the Treasury)

From 2015 to 2019, reports of Elder Abuse in Tennessee increased by 52%. (TN Department of Human Services, Adult Protective Services)

Elders who have been abused have a 300% higher risk of death when compared to those who have not been mistreated. (National Council on Aging)

Tennessee state law requires reporting of suspected abuse of a vulnerable or elderly adult. Call 1-888-APS-TENN (277-8366) to make an anonymous report, or click here.

2022

In 2021 alone, seniors across Tennessee lost more than $32.5 million to financial scams. To raise awareness about this growing issue, the Shelby County District Attorney’s office teamed up with local organizations to get the word out about the many ways seniors and other vulnerable populations are targeted.

Now, we’ve taken the ScamStop campaign statewide to spread the message about this serious issue. We want to help all Tennessee seniors, vulnerable adults and their families to know and recognize the warning signs and red flags of financial scams. Remember – if they ask for something, they’re up to something

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2021

The Safe Seniors Act – the final installment of the Conference’s multi-year effort to expand the tools prosecutors have to fight elder abuse – was passed. This bill expands the definition of abuse and clarifies key issues surrounding the prosecution of this crime.

2019

The Elderly and Vulnerable Adults Protection Act was passed. The prime sponsor of this historic bill was Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, R-Collierville.

2017

The General Assembly passed legislation classifying financial crimes against the elderly as theft. This classification allows authorities to better define, discover and put a stop to financial exploitation of the elderly.

2016

Vulnerable Adult Protective Investigative Teams were established in each of the state’s 31 judicial districts to foster information-sharing among government agencies tasked with protecting the elderly.

In addition, after receiving funding from the Tennessee General Assembly in 2016, the TNDAGC organized a three-day, multi-disciplinary training seminar to educate our team and partners on the complexities of elder abuse. This training was attended by prosecutors, criminal investigators, victim witness coordinators, DHS staff members and other members of Tennessee’s law enforcement community. Printed materials, digital graphics and short videos were created in an effort to take this conversation beyond law enforcement and into our communities. Tennessee Is Talking About Elder Abuse materials featured victim testimonials, warning signs and information on the different forms of neglect.

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