AARP in VI Meets With Legislators to Discuss Anti-Elder Abuse Recommendations

AARP in The Virgin Islands met with members of the Culture, Aging, Sports, Parks and Youth Committee of the 35th Legislature of the Virgin Islands and other aging advocates on Sept. 7, to discuss recommendations presented by AARP-VI to combat elder abuse and specifically to strengthen the anti-elder abuse law, 34 V.I.C., Act No. 8318, Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Prevention Act of 2020.

This meeting is one subsequent to a first held in March 2023 composed of a working group that included U.S. Virgin Islands government agencies, the private sector and the community at large.

Legislative Aging Committee Chair Sen. Angel Bolques, Committee Member Sen. Samuel Carrion, and V.I. Department of Human Services representatives joined AARP staff and Attorney McNicholson, an AARP-VI advocacy volunteer, to review the recommendations and work to add them to the law.

“As our population ages, elder abuse and financial exploitation is on the rise. It is time to stop these shameful crimes and protect older Virgin Islanders and the assets they have worked a lifetime to secure,” said Troy de Chabert-Schuster, AARP-VI state director.