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Hawaii Legislature may increase senior protections in next session 2009-12-23 The human services committees of the Hawaii House and Senate recently held informational briefings on senior abuse and financial exploitation. The reason, state lawmakers said to CBS affiliate KGMB, is that seniors are more susceptible to exploitation than other groups. "Seniors, I think … are sometimes very trusting, maybe too trusting," said John McDermott, an official at Hawaii's Executive Office on Aging. One-quarter of Hawaii residents will be older than 60 by 2020, making the state's senior protections especially important. Some protections already exist: seniors who sue merchants can recoup three times their attorney fees and the damages they're awarded. That provision was designed to discourage merchants from exploiting seniors; similar laws could be enacted in the next legislative session to protect seniors further. Until that happens, KGMB recommends that seniors stay up-to-date on potential scams. Screening caregivers and donation seekers can help stave off exploitation, too. And Hawaii residents should keep an eye on elderly neighbors, Office on Aging official McDermott said. If "you see something next door or you hear something next door that you know is not right," he said, action should be taken.  |
