When considering the reporting of any form of elder abuse, nurses should be aware of both the laws of the state they practice in as well as hospital policy regarding the reporting of abuse. There are many states that have specific laws regarding elder abuse. Many of these laws have varying ages for when an individual became protected by the specific elder abuse law(s). For instance, New Jersey’s laws pertain to adults 18 years of age or older who are victims of abuse, neglect, or exploitation (New Jersey Department of Human Services, n.d.). Other states have laws specifically pertaining to older adults. States such as Nevada, Ohio, and Wyoming define an older adult as 60 or older, while in Utah, Texas, and Oregon an older adult is 65 and older.
