We're grateful for the new proposals to Florida's legal system, enabling officials to act easily while investigating and prosecuting individuals for elder abuse and exploitation. The need for a deterrent method would help to curb this growing problem even more successfully. Preventing people from taking advantage of our elders and senior citizens through fraudulent and pressured Power of Attorney documents is necessary to minimize the damage to the elder, as well as to minimize the funds and task force that is required once abuse has occurred. By preventing abuse, we're getting ahead of it and letting potential abusers know that they are very likely to be caught - this deterrent is far greater at reducing crime than launching an exhaustive investigative force once abuse has already damaged an elderly person's life. Reactionary measures don't prevent: they only aim to stop events and punish. In order to prevent abuse, we must implement a procedure which records and maintains Power of Attorney documents at the Circuit Court level: an application process and filing with the Clerk of Court as part of the POA/DPOA creation and execution of the documents.
Our plight and letters of lived experiences have been sent to Governor Ron DeSantis, and Senator Iliana Garcia, and have been received to review this petition.
Your support and signature helps move this issue forward, and will be instrumental in making change for the better. Thank you to those who help.
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If you suspect or have knowledge of Eder Abuse and/or Elder Exploitation, please contact below to report online or by phone:
To report online – go to the DCF web site at https://www.myflfamilies.com/service-programs/abuse-hotline/report-online.shtml
To report by phone – call Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-96-ABUSE (1-800-962-2873). Press 2 to report suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation of a vulnerable adult. This toll free number is available 24/7. TTY (Telephone Device for the Deaf): 1-800-955-8771. To report via fax, please print and complete the DCF fax reporting form with details and fax to 1-800-914-0004.