Board of Commissioners of Cook County - File #: 26-1763

• File #: 26-1763
• Version: 1
• Name: Concerning the prevention of elder abuse in cook county and advancing elder safety and dignity
• Type: Consent Calendar Resolution
• Status: Agenda Ready
• File created: 6/9/2026
• In control: Board of Commissioners
• On agenda: 6/11/2026
• Title: PROPOSED RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE PREVENTION OF EDLER ABUSE IN COOK COUNTY AND ADVANCING EDLDER SAFETY AND DIGINITY WHEREAS, according to the National Center on Elder Abuse, approximately 1 in 10 Americans aged 60 and older experience some form of elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation each year, making elder abuse a widespread and often hidden crisis affecting millions of older adults nationwide; and WHEREAS, experts estimate that elder abuse remains significantly underreported, with studies suggesting that for every reported case, as many as 23 additional cases go undetected, leaving countless older adults without intervention or support; and WHEREAS, financial exploitation is among the fastest-growing forms of elder abuse, with older Americans losing an estimated $28 billion annually to financial scams, fraud, theft, and exploitation perpetrated by strangers, caregivers, family members, and other trusted individuals; and WHEREAS, abuse of older adults has devastating conseq...
• Sponsors: FRANK J. AGUILAR, ALMA E. ANAYA, SCOTT R. BRITTON, JOHN P. DALEY, BRIDGET DEGNEN, BRIDGET GAINER, BILL LOWRY, DR. KISHA E. McCASKILL, DONNA MILLER, STANLEY MOORE, JOSINA MORITA, KEVIN B. MORRISON, SEAN M. MORRISON, TONI PRECKWINKLE (President), MICHAEL SCOTT JR., TARA S. STAMPS, MAGGIE TREVOR, JESSICA VÁSQUEZ

title
PROPOSED RESOLUTION


CONCERNING THE PREVENTION OF EDLER ABUSE IN COOK COUNTY AND ADVANCING EDLDER SAFETY AND DIGINITY

WHEREAS, according to the National Center on Elder Abuse, approximately 1 in 10 Americans aged 60 and older experience some form of elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation each year, making elder abuse a widespread and often hidden crisis affecting millions of older adults nationwide; and

WHEREAS, experts estimate that elder abuse remains significantly underreported, with studies suggesting that for every reported case, as many as 23 additional cases go undetected, leaving countless older adults without intervention or support; and

WHEREAS, financial exploitation is among the fastest-growing forms of elder abuse, with older Americans losing an estimated $28 billion annually to financial scams, fraud, theft, and exploitation perpetrated by strangers, caregivers, family members, and other trusted individuals; and

WHEREAS, abuse of older adults has devastating consequences on physical, emotional, and financial well-being, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that assault-related injuries among older adults cost the United States nearly $33 billion in 2022 alone; and

WHEREAS, research demonstrates that victims of elder abuse face increased risks of hospitalization, depression, social isolation, premature mortality, and loss of independence, underscoring the urgent need for prevention, education, intervention, and community support; and

WHEREAS, the population of adults aged 65 and older continues to grow rapidly, with the number of older Americans projected to reach nearly 95 million by 2060, making the protection of older adults an increasingly important public policy priority; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners encourages residents, community organizations, faith institutions, healthcare providers, financial institutions, and public agencies to work collaboratively to identi...