On the Issues
Andrea understands that we owe our elders more than just our respect – we owe them an opportunity to live long and healthy lives in their communities, free from the hardship caused by scams, fraud, and unequal access to health care. Age-based discrimination, elder neglect and abuse, and scams and frauds occur every day. Our aging residents will have an advocate with Andrea in the Attorney General’s Office.
As Attorney General, she will establish an Elder Justice Unit. Though the Attorney General’s Office currently has an Elder Hotline and dedicated staff available to answer questions and connect residents with resources, more can and should be done to promote the safety and security of older residents. The Elder Justice Unit will blend resources from the Attorney General’s Criminal and Public Protection & Advocacy Bureaus to work together with other stakeholders to focus on:
- Civil and criminal enforcement actions against those who try to cheat our elders, including predatory practices and scams.
- State and federal legislative action to combat the abuse or exploitation of elder residents.
- Education and training materials to help prevent and address elder fraud or neglect, and provide answers and resources.
- Increasing oversight and prosecution of housing and health care providers that discriminate against the elderly, especially those in underserved communities of color and those who are reliant on Medicare or MassHealth.