ATLANTA (AP) - Georgia state agencies have ramped up efforts to crack down on elder abuse, with law enforcement training and a tougher criminal code.
But The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that an underlying anxiety exists among several officials who feel the issue will continue to plague at-risk Georgians until stricter protocols are put in place to track offenses.
As the number of elderly Georgians increases, stopping elder abuse has become one of Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Vernon Keenan's top priorities.
The number of elderly people in Georgia is growing fast - in metro Atlanta, the number of people over 60 quadrupled between 1970 and 2015.
Despite a new statewide focus on the issue, Georgia has no elder abuse registry, unlike Tennessee and New Hampshire. Some say the state needs one.
