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LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is recognizing Elder Abuse Awareness Month in the latest edition of the Elder Abuse Task Force newsletter. The issue highlights legislative progress made on efforts to protect vulnerable adults, provides resources on how to spot elder abuse and senior scams, and offers a reminder about free power of attorney forms on the Department of Attorney General’s website.
“Elder Abuse Awareness Month allows us to shed light on an often unnoticed and unreported issue,” said Attorney General Nessel. “To properly protect our seniors, we must be able to recognize the warning signs. Our Elder Abuse Task Force has a number of resources available, including this newsletter, to help identify neglect and financial exploitation, while providing the tools needed to raise awareness and stop abuse before it starts.”
More than 100,000 older adults in Michigan are victims of elder abuse. They experience abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Community groups looking to educate members on the latest scams targeting seniors can submit an event request to have the Department of Attorney General host a presentation. The Elder Abuse Task Force webpage also now includes recent training videos from the 2025 Michigan Elder Justice Conference, an online Capacity Assessments Webinar on how and why incapacity may be diagnosed in older adults, and the Elder Justice Initiative 2026 Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) Needs Assessment Survey.
As part of Elder Abuse Awareness Month, the Michigan Adult Services Division will host its third annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 5K Walk on June 15 at 11 a.m. in Lansing. More information is available on the Elder Abuse Task Force webpage.
The newsletter also highlights the work the Task Force is doing to advocate for proposed legislation, including:
- Senate Bills 111-114, which would create specific elder and vulnerable adult personal protection orders, enhance prosecutors’ tools by amending Michigan law to include embezzlement from a vulnerable adult as a racketeering offense, allow prosecution of financial abuse that occurs during a vulnerable adult’s lifetime and the money or property is stolen at death, and create the legal definition for multi-disciplinary teams that focus on elder abuse and preserve privacy. The bill package passed the Senate with broad bipartisan support, including unanimous votes on Senate Bills 112, 113, and 114. They have been awaiting a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee for a year.
- Senate Bills 585 and 586, which would require an appraisal before selling the home of an adult under guardianship to ensure the sale is for fair market value. The legislation would also require a hearing before removing an adult under guardianship from their home if they object and guarantee their right to an attorney. The bills passed the Senate and are awaiting a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee.
- House Bills 4418 and 4419, which would enable certain individuals to make healthcare decisions on behalf of a patient when the patient is unable to do so on their own behalf and does not have a patient advocate designation in place, or the designated patient advocate is unavailable to fulfill that role. This Surrogate Consent legislation passed the House of Representatives with broad bipartisan support and passed the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously with one minor change in January. The package currently awaits a vote before the Michigan Senate.
Michigan residents are also reminded that free, fillable Power of Attorney forms are now available for download on the Department of Attorney General’s website. The forms, prepared by the Kimble Center for Legal Drafting at Cooley Law School, make it easier for Michigan residents and their family members to appoint a trusted individual to make important financial and medical decisions on their behalf if they become unable to do so.
Michigan residents seeking elder abuse resources are encouraged to call 800-24-ABUSE (22873), or 855-444-3911 to report suspected elder abuse. The full Elder Abuse Task Force newsletter is available on the Department’s website.
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