Protection for Elders in Iowa From Financial Exploitation
What is "elder abuse"? As provided in Iowa Code 235F , elder abuse means any of the following: 1. Physical injury to, unreasonable confinement, punishment or assault of a vulnerable elder 2. Sexual offense with or against a vulnerable elder 3. Neglect by a caretaker of a vulnerable elder a. Includes the deprivation of the minimum food, shelter, clothing, supervision, or physical or mental health care necessary to maintain life or health 4. Financial exploitation of a vulnerable elder. Who is considered a vulnerable elder? A vulnerable elder means a person sixty years of age or older who is unable to protect himself or herself from elder abuse as a result of age or a mental or physical condition or because of a personal circumstance which results in an increased risk of harm to the person. Did you know that the elderly poor are at greater risk of financial exploitation than the wealthy? Many low-income older Iowans are financ