MADISON, Wis. – Attorney General Brad Schimel announced the start of a radio ad campaign that will raise awareness about elder abuse and encourage citizens to report abuse against seniors at Medicaid-funded or other senior care facilities.
“One in nine seniors have reported being abused, neglected or exploited in the last twelve months, but we also know that elder abuse is drastically underreported[1],” said Attorney General Schimel. “As our Task Force on Elder Abuse continues to work on improving outcomes for the state’s growing population of elderly, we need more people to come forward and report when they see or experience elder abuse. This new campaign is the first step in raising public awareness about elder abuse and encouraging citizens to report instances of abuse to authorities.”
The new public awareness campaign encourages citizens to report suspected elder abuse in a Medicaid-funded or other senior facility to the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud and Elder Abuse Hotline at 1-800-488-3780. The public service announcements began airing yesterday over the radio on the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association’s 200 member stations and will conclude on March 11, 2018. Currently, the ad campaign has a $50,000 budget, made possible through a federal grant.
Attorney General Schimel’s administration has prioritized elder abuse and launched the Attorney General’s Task Force on Elder Abuse in August 2017. The task force is charged with compiling the resources and knowledge of a multi-disciplinary team of professionals to study the impact of elder abuse in Wisconsin and assess ways to improve outcomes for this growing population of citizens. In addition to developing strategies to address barriers in investigation and prosecutions of elder abuse, the task force will strengthen consumer protection for seniors and create recommendations for improved cross-system communications.
To report suspected financial, physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, please contact your county elder adult-at-risk agency or call 1-800-488-3780. If you witness an act of abuse, neglect, or exploitation that requires immediate attention, please call 911.
