States with the Best Elder-Abuse Protections (2026)

Elder abuse is a complex and concerning issue that affects vulnerable older Americans in various ways and cost us more than $2.3 billion last year. It is important that we take action to address this issue and ensure that older Americans are protected and their dignity is preserved, especially as the older population grows. The U.S. Census Bureau predicts that the population aged 65 and older will almost double from 57.8 million in 2022 to 106.3 million in 2100. By taking action now, we can pave the way for a brighter and safer future for our older generations.

WalletHub is raising awareness of this critical issue by comparing the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on 16 key indicators of elder abuse protection in 3 overall categories. Our data set ranges from the share of elder abuse, gross neglect and exploitation complaints to financial elder-abuse laws.

“Our nation’s elderly population is vulnerable to being hurt physically, financially and mentally by both their families and their caregivers. Elderly people who foresee needing care in the near future, or families who want to make sure their relatives receive the best treatment possible, should be aware of the states with the best elder-abuse protections. These states offer robust legal safeguards, plenty of organizations and volunteers dedicated to helping elderly residents avoid abuse, and high-quality nursing homes and other care facilities.”

Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst

Main Findings

States with the Best Elder-Abuse Protections

Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that state, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that category.

Elder-Abuse, Gross-Neglect and Exploitation Complaints*

Lowest

• 1. Louisiana
• 2. Florida
• 3. Pennsylvania
• 4. Indiana
• 5. New Hampshire

Highest

• 47. Tennessee
• 48. Montana
• T-49. South Carolina
• T-49. Nevada
• T-49. California

Total Expenditures on Elder-Abuse Prevention*

Highest

• 1. Massachusetts
• 2. Rhode Island
• 3. Wisconsin
• 4. Virginia
• 5. Nevada

Lowest

• 47. Texas
• T-48. Georgia
• T-48. Louisiana
• T-48. Maine
• T-48. Montana

Total Long-Term Care Ombudsman-Program Funding*

Highest

• T-1. Alaska
• T-1. District of Columbia
• T-1. Vermont
• 4. South Dakota
• 5. Maine

Lowest

• 47. Hawaii
• 48. Tennessee
• 49. Michigan
• 50. Indiana
• 51. Florida

Best State vs. Worst State: 15x Difference

Alaska vs. Florida

Eldercare Organizations & Services*

Most

• 1. Alaska
• 2. Vermont
• 3. Wisconsin
• 4. Montana
• 5. North Dakota

Fewest

• 47. Rhode Island
• 48. Missouri
• 49. Texas
• 50. Delaware
• 51. Florida

Best State vs. Worst State: 53x Difference

Alaska vs. Florida

Certified Volunteer Ombudsmen*

Most

• 1. District of Columbia
• 2. Vermont
• 3. North Carolina
• 4. Nebraska
• 5. Alaska

Fewest

• T-47. Delaware
• T-47. Mississippi
• T-47. Nevada
• T-47. South Dakota
• T-47. West Virginia

Nursing-Homes Quality

Highest

• 1. Hawaii
• 2. Idaho
• 3. North Dakota
• 4. Virginia
• 5. Minnesota

Lowest

• 47. District of Columbia
• 48. Georgia
• 49. Mississippi
• 50. West Virginia
• 51. Louisiana

Best State vs. Worst State: 4x Difference

Hawaii vs. Louisiana

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*Per resident aged 65+

In-Depth Look at the Best States for 2026

Wisconsin

Wisconsin ranks as the top state for elder-abuse protections, and it’s one of only 22 states that have elder-abuse shelters, giving mistreated elderly residents resources for escaping their abusive situations. It also has the third-most elder care organizations per capita.

In addition, Wisconsin makes sure that misconduct in nursing homes is minimized. It requires assisted living facilities to have two inspections per year, the most in the country, and it also has elder justice task forces in place, which bring together federal, state and local prosecutors, law enforcement, and agencies that coordinate and enhance efforts to pursue nursing homes that provide grossly substandard care to their residents.

To top things off, Wisconsin has the second-highest spending on legal assistance per resident age 65+, and it spends the third-most on elder abuse prevention. One way this has paid off is that the state has the eighth-lowest percentage of elderly residents falling victim to fraud and the eighth-lowest average loss to fraud.

Virginia

Virginia has the second-best elder-abuse protections in the country, including the fourth-highest spending on elder abuse prevention per elderly resident. The state also has the fourth-highest share of nursing homes rated four or five stars, and it provides shelters for residents who have been victims of elder abuse.

The Old Dominion requires assisted living facilities to undergo annual inspections and allows surveillance cameras in the rooms of nursing home residents to detect misconduct by employees or visitors.

On top of that, Virginia has elder justice task forces and elder abuse forensic centers–specialized, multidisciplinary teams designed to respond to complex cases of elder abuse. The state’s older population also benefits from legislation targeting financial crimes committed against them.

Vermont

Vermont has the third-best elder-abuse protections, with the second-highest number of certified volunteer ombudsmen per capita, along with the third-most ombudsman funding per elderly resident. Vermont also has the second-most elder care organizations and services per capita, so residents have a lot of resources to help them if they are being taken advantage of by family or caregivers.

In addition, the Green Mountain State does a fairly good job of preventing fraud against the elderly. The state has the second-lowest average loss amount per case of fraud against elderly residents and the 16th-lowest fraud rate.

Finally, Vermont has the ninth-fewest elder abuse complaints per capita in nursing homes, and 19th-fewest in board and care homes. The state requires annual inspections of nursing home facilities, too. For context, only 26 states require inspections either yearly or more than once per year.

Tips for Spotting Signs of Elder Financial Abuse

• Look Out For Unusual Bank or Credit Card Activity: Be vigilant for any unexpected or abrupt alterations in the financial circumstances of an elderly individual, like substantial withdrawals, transfers, or expenditures. Be mindful of any irregular ATM usage or unfamiliar purchases.
• Be Cautious of New or Unfamiliar “Friends”: If an elderly person has recently befriended someone who shows an unusual interest in their finances or property, it is important to be cautious. This behavior could indicate that the new acquaintance has malicious intentions. Some scammers take advantage of the elderly person's kind nature and willingness to make new friends to gain their trust, which they can then use as a means to exploit them financially.
• Monitor Social Media and Internet Use: It is wise to keep a close watch on an older adult's social media and internet use as these platforms can make them vulnerable to fraudsters. One should regularly check an older adult's social media profile for any suspicious connections or posts that may reveal personal information to others. Additionally, monitoring their email accounts can help identify any potential security concerns.
• Watch For Changes in Legal Documents: It is important to be alert to any modifications made to legal documents, such as wills, trusts, powers of attorney, or other documents that may appear to benefit someone other than the elderly person. These changes could be made due to coercion or manipulation by family members, caregivers, or others who may be pressuring the older adult to make financial decisions against their will.
• Take Note of Changes in Behavior: Be aware of any changes in behavior displayed by older individuals, such as sudden fearfulness, anxiety, or secretiveness regarding their finances. Perpetrators of financial fraud often employ tactics that isolate vulnerable individuals from their social support networks, allowing them to maintain control over their victims. If an older adult seems to be avoiding family and friends or is hesitant to discuss their financial situation, it may be indicative of elder financial abuse.
• Be Mindful of Any Decline in Personal Care Conditions: You should monitor personal care conditions carefully. If an older person is living in poor conditions, not receiving necessary medical care, or not getting proper nutrition, it could be a sign that their financial resources are not being used for their well-being. If someone has the means to afford food, medication, or necessary care, but they are seemingly being denied access, it could be an indication of financial exploitation.

Ask the Experts

There are ways for families, organizations and lawmakers to protect America’s elderly population. We consulted a panel of experts in fields such as social welfare and aging for insight and advice. Read about the panelists and their thoughts on the following key questions below:

1. What are the most common types of elder abuse?
2. How can policymakers protect older adults from abuse, financial or otherwise?
3. Should there be legal restrictions against a caregiver financially benefiting from the death of the person they were caring for?
4. What can families do to protect older adult family members from being financially abused?

Ask the Experts

Steve Weisman
Senior Lecturer of Law - Bentley University
Read More

Sonia Salari
Ph.D. – FGSA, Professor Department Family and Consumer Studies & Fellow Gerontological Society of America - The University of Utah
Read More

Carolyn L. Dessin
Aileen McMurray Trusler Professor Emeritus of Law - The University of Akron School of Law
Read More

Ronald W. Berkowsky
Ph.D. – Associate Professor, Health Sciences Program - California State University Channel Islands
Read More

Lucia A. Silecchia
Professor of Law - The Catholic University of America
Read More

Fei Sun
Professor, Health and Aging Policy Fellow, Health and Aging Certificate Program Coordinator, School of Social Work - Michigan State University
Read More

More Experts

Methodology

In order to determine the states with the best protection against elder abuse, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across three key dimensions: 1) Prevalence, 2) Resources and 3) Protection.

We evaluated these dimensions using 16 relevant metrics listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was scored on a 100-point scale, with 100 representing the “best protection against elder abuse.”

Finally, we determined each state’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

Prevalence – Total Points: 40

• Share of Elder-Abuse, Gross-Neglect and Exploitation Complaints: Triple Weight (~24.00 Points)
  Note: This metric was calculated by dividing the number of elder-abuse, gross-neglect and exploitation complaints by the number of residents aged 65 and older. “Complaints” include those made to the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman.
• Estimated Elder Fraud Rate: Full Weight (~8.00 Points)
  Note: This metric was calculated by dividing the number of elder fraud reports by the number of elderly residents. “Elder fraud”, also called “elder financial abuse” or “elder financial exploitation”, is defined as the misappropriation or abuse of financial control in a relationship where there is an expectation of trust, resulting in harm to the elderly victim.
• Elder Fraud Loss Amount per Reported Frauds: Full Weight (~8.00 Points)

Resources – Total Points: 30

• Total Expenditures on Elder-Abuse Prevention per Resident Aged 65 & Older: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
  Note: This metric was calculated by dividing the total dollars spent on elder-abuse prevention by the number of residents aged 65 and older.
• Total Expenditures on Legal-Assistance Development per Resident Aged 65 & Older: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
  Note: This metric was calculated by dividing the total dollars spent on legal assistance development by the number of residents aged 65 and older.
• Total Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Funding per Resident Aged 65 & Older: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
  Note: This metric was calculated by dividing the total dollars spent on long-term ombudsman program funding by the number of residents aged 65 and older.

Protection – Total Points: 30

• Financial Elderly-Abuse Laws: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
  Note: This is a binary metric that considers the presence or absence of such legislation.
• Eldercare Organizations & Services per Resident Aged 65 & Older: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
• Presence of Elder-Abuse Forensic Centers: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
  Note: This binary metric considers the presence or absence of Elder Abuse Forensic Centers in a state.
• Presence of Elder Abuse Working Groups: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
  Note: An “Elder-Abuse Working Group” is defined by the National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center as “an entity such as a task force, council, commission, or non-profit organization, convened to address elder abuse issues at the state level.”
• Certified Volunteer Ombudsmen per Resident Aged 65 & Older: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
• Frequency of Assisted-Living Facilities Inspections: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
• Quality of Nursing Homes: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the share of certified nursing-home beds rated 4 or 5 stars.
• Presence of Laws Allowing Surveillance Cams in Nursing Homes: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
  Note: This binary metric measures the presence or absence of state laws allowing surveillance cameras in nursing homes:
  1 – State has laws that allow placement of surveillance cameras in the rooms of nursing home residents;
  0 – State doesn’t have laws that allow placement of surveillance cameras in the rooms of nursing home residents.
  
• Presence of Elder Justice Task Forces: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
  Note: This binary metric measures the presence or absence of an Elder Justice Task Force in a state.
• Presence of Elder-Abuse Shelters: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
  Note: This binary metrics measures the presence or absence of elder-abuse shelters in a state.

 
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected as of November 12, 2025 from the U.S. Census Bureau, AGing Integrated Database, Administration on Aging - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, California State Association of Public Administrators, National Ombudsman Resource Center, National Center on Elder Abuse, U.S. Department of Justice, Comparitech, A Place for Mom, Nursing Home Abuse Center and United Health Foundation.

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