Victimizing The Elderly

From the Wall Street Journal: Killings by home-care providers remain rare, but they are only the most extreme examples of what prosecutors and advocates for the elderly say is a growing number of cases of abuse, neglect or fraud in which home caregivers take advantage of the frail and the ill. And that's prompting calls for better oversight of an industry that's expanding fast as more Americans age and try to avoid nursing homes. Health aides are often certified nursing assistants, who are generally licensed and regulated. But the bulk of the abuse cases involves caregivers hired to provide nonmedical assistance. These caregivers, who aren't required to receive specialized training, are only loosely overseen. Comment: With the increasing size of the elderly population, many of whom need assistance, but are not willing to go into nursing homes, there needs to be stringent oversight for any person willing to provide home assistance services.