AARP in The Virgin Islands Meets with Legislators and Advocates to Discuss Anti-Elder Abuse Recommendations

En Español | AARP in The Virgin Islands met with members of the Culture, Aging, Sports, Parks, and Youth Committee of the 35^th Legislature of the Virgin Islands and other aging advocates yesterday, September 7, 2023, to discuss recommendations presented by AARP-VI to combat elder abuse and specifically to strengthen the anti-elder abuse law, 34 V.I.C., Act No. 8318, Elder & Dependent Adult Abuse Prevention Act of 2020. This meeting is one subsequent to a first in March 2023, composed of a working group that included US Virgin Islands government agencies, the private sector, and the community at large.

Legislative Aging Committee Chair Senator Angel Bolques, Committee Member Senator Samuel Carrion, and VI Department of Human Services representatives joined AARP Staff and Attorney McNicholson, AARP-VI Advocacy Volunteer, to review the recommendations and work to add them to the law.

“As our population ages, elder abuse and financial exploitation is on the rise. It is time to stop these shameful crimes and protect older Virgin Islanders and the assets they have worked a lifetime to secure,” said Troy de Chabert-Schuster, AARP-VI State Director. “Combatting elder abuse and financial exploitation is an AARP-VI priority, and we will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that our seniors have the resources they need to remain free from harm and safe from abuse.”

Elder abuse and financial exploitation are a growing problem. Older Americans lose an estimated $28.3 billion annually to elder financial exploitation (EFE), according to a new report from AARP and according to the World Health Organization, “abuse of older people is an important public health problem.”

AARP is asking Virgin Islanders to call their senators and tell them to support this initiative and add these recommendations to the law. The members of the Culture, Aging, Sports, Parks, and Youth Committee are Chair: Senator Angel L. Bolques, Jr., Vice-Chair: Senator Marvin A. Blyden, Members: Senator Samuel Carrión, Senator Alma Francis Heyliger, Senator Novelle E. Francis, Jr. Senator Franklin D. Johnson, and Senator Milton E. Potter.

AARP-VI continues the work to educate all Virgin Islanders on elder abuse and financial exploitation and is hosting Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation Prevention sessions, with the last of a three-part series coming up on November 9, 2023. All interested should register by visiting the AARP in The Virgin Islands Facebook page at Facebook.com/aarpvi or visiting the aarp.org/vi website and searching for the event titled AARPVI & DOJ Elder Abuse Awareness Workshop, Session 3, St. Croix, 11/9/23 for the St. Croix event and for the St. Thomas event AARPVI & DOJ Elder Abuse Awareness Workshop, Session 3, St. Thomas, 11/9/23 under the Events tab in the page.