FL Ranks In Top 30 For Protection Of Older Residents: WalletHub

Florida is in the top 30 for protecting older people against abuse, according to a recent WalletHub ranking.

The private finance company released its survey this month and reported the Sunshine State is 26th for having the best elder-abuse protections. Overall, Florida scored 46.23.

“Our nation’s elderly population is vulnerable to being hurt physically, financially and mentally by both their families and their caregivers," WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in the report.

"Elderly people who foresee needing care in the near future, or families who want to make sure their relatives receive the best treatment possible, should be aware of the states with the best elder-abuse protections. These states offer robust legal safeguards, plenty of organizations and volunteers dedicated to helping elderly residents avoid abuse, and high-quality nursing homes and other care facilities.”

Source: WalletHub

Experts analyzed the presence of elder abuse working groups, quality of nursing homes - as well as the share of elder-abuse, gross-neglect and exploitation complaints - to measure the prevalence, resources and protection in 50 states and the District of Columbia. Sixteen total metrics were utilized.

Florida's breakdown was as follows: two (prevalence), 51 (resources) and 33 (protection).

The state also has one of the lowest amounts of elder-abuse, gross-neglect and exploitation complaints. Additionally, Florida is home to the fewest eldercare organizations and services.

The top 10 states with the best elder-abuse protections are:

1. Wisconsin
2. Virginia
3. Vermont
4. Massachusetts
5. Ohio
6. Illinois
7. Maine
8. Kentucky
9. West Virginia
10. Wyoming

See WalletHub's full ranking.