Des Moines, Iowa — Elder abuse will be defined as a crime in Iowa when a new law takes effect July 1st.
Governor Reynolds has approved a bill that creates new criminal penalties for emotional abuse and neglect of Iowans who are 60 or older.
The bill establishes a new criminal charge of financial exploitation of an older individual.
These changes have been a top priority for AARP for several years and the bill passed the House and Senate this year unanimously. According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, as many as two million Americans above the age of 65 have been abused and about 60 percent of elder abuse is committed by a relative of the victim.
