Professor Testifies Before Senate on Protecting Elders

Carmel Dyer, M.D., associate professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and co-director of the Texas Elder Abuse and Mistreatment Institute, testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance July 17 at a hearing titled "Elder Justice: Protecting Seniors from Abuse and Neglect."

"The problem is widespread, with more cases of elder abuse reported each year than new cases of breast, colon and cervical cancers combined," Dyer said.

Less than one in 10 cases of elder abuse are ever reported. Elder abuse can include physical or sexual abuse, financial exploitation, self-neglect or caregiver neglect. Self-neglect occurs when patients fail to take care of themselves and suffer the physical consequences.

Dyer and Baylor geriatricians, along with the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services and the Harris County Hospital District’s geriatric program, created the Texas Elder Abuse and Mistreatment Institute to improve the lives of abused and neglected elders through clinical care, education and research.

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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