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The Silent Epidemic: Aging in America
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The inaugural episode of the "Aging in America" podcast, hosted by Tam Lawrence and produced in partnership with the Better Aging Bureau, serves as a "blistering" and "surgical" investigation into the widespread issue of elder abuse and systemic failures within the American elder care system.
Based on empirical data and research provided by investigator Tam Lawrence, the episode highlights the devastating scope of the problem, exposes legal and systemic barriers to accountability, and discusses recent legislative efforts while emphasizing the critical need for enforcement and action.
- 5 million older adults are abused every year in the United States.
- Only 1 in 24 of those cases is ever reported. This highlights a significant underreporting issue, suggesting the true numbers are likely much higher.
- In 2022 alone, over 17,000 violations were issued to nursing homes for putting residents in immediate danger. This points to significant safety concerns within care facilities.
- Financial exploitation of seniors results in estimated losses of $36.5 billion annually. This demonstrates the immense financial toll on older adults and their families.
- The "Nursing Home Secrecy Act" and Legal Barriers to Accountability: A central and disturbing revelation is what Lawrence terms the "Nursing Home Secrecy Act." While not a formal law, this term describes a system that "legally suppressed under the guise of “standard policy”" the exposure of abuse and neglect.
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Transcript
00:00:16
Speaker
Welcome
Introduction to Aging Issues in America
00:00:17
Speaker
to Aging in America, the podcast exposing the epidemic no one wants to talk about until it's too late. but when Here, we pull back the curtain on abuse, neglect, exploitation, and corruption within senior care, guardianships, and probate courts across the nation.
00:00:32
Speaker
From whistleblowers to family survivors, legal experts to investigative journalists, we're amplifying the voices that demand justice and fighting for a future where dignity doesn't disappear with age. We believe that if you're willing to stand on the front line with us, together we can reshape public perception, educate families, and ignite systemic reform.
00:00:52
Speaker
You will stand alongside investigative journalists, caregivers, legal experts, and advocates as we lift the veil on what's happening behind closed doors in senior care facilities, courtrooms, and homes across the nation.
00:01:04
Speaker
This podcast
Support and Leadership by Better Aging Bureau
00:01:05
Speaker
is backed by the Better Aging Bureau, a national unincorporated association of devoted citizens, advocates, and reformers. Aging in America is more than a podcast, it's a revolution in sound.
00:01:16
Speaker
To learn more about the Better Aging Bureau visit betteragingbureau.com, be sure to sign up for the newsletter to stay informed. We stand firmly on proactive families protect futures, reactive families repair damage, be the change.
00:01:32
Speaker
Be proactive, you're listening to Aging in America hosted by Tam Lawrence, an award-winning journalist who unapologetically will never stop fighting for the vulnerable.
00:01:56
Speaker
Welcome to
Elder Abuse Underreporting and Safety Violations
00:01:57
Speaker
Aging in America, the podcast that pulls no punches, exposes what is hidden, and demands accountability for our nation's most vulnerable citizens.
00:02:08
Speaker
That is, our elderly who are aging at rapid numbers. I am your host, Tam Lawrence, and what you are about to hear may disturb you, but it's truth.
00:02:23
Speaker
It has too long been buried beneath bureaucracy, secrecy, and silence. Let me just start out with some facts. Empirical data, these are facts, not opinions, not assumptions,
00:02:40
Speaker
This is facts. More than 5 million elderly are abused each year in the United States. Only one in 24 cases of elder abuse are ever reported.
00:02:54
Speaker
Nursing homes where families trust their loved ones to be safe are often ground zero for this abuse. Let's just say this. In
Long-term Care Facilities and Insurance Effectiveness
00:03:04
Speaker
2008,
00:03:06
Speaker
In 22 alone, over 17,000 citations were issued to long-term care facilities for violations that directly endangered residents' health and safety. and contributed to society ah seventeen thousand wonderful and amazing people who had contributed to society who did not think in the end their lives would be put in jeopardy by the one thing that they probably paid into, and that's long-term care insurance, long-term care facilities, 17,000.
00:03:51
Speaker
Just imagine that, 17,000. I want you to take the time while we're going through this and just imagine that we're talking about your parents, your grandparents, if they're still with us.
00:04:06
Speaker
Let me just say this, because a lot of times when I am talking to people who are younger than 60 years old, they feel as though this is not going to affect me.
Impact of Aging and Environmental Factors
00:04:18
Speaker
But as long as you continue to keep on living, it's inevitable that you will age into your senior years. God forbid that you need assistance or CARES.
00:04:33
Speaker
In the case that you may have maybe a hip replacement, maybe you go into you know a nursing home. And with the food that we're eating, I'm going to get into this as we go into different series.
00:04:49
Speaker
The toxic chemicals are increasing the risk of people getting dementia and Alzheimer's. I know for a fact that this is the case.
00:05:00
Speaker
My mother had dementia, which was not true dementia. It was called elevated dementia caused from what they call vascular disease. We're going to get into that as well.
00:05:12
Speaker
But let me continue on. Yet most
Legal Suppression and Lack of Public Awareness
00:05:16
Speaker
Americans don't hear about it. You know why most Americans don't hear about what's happening in the nursing homes? Because something that is called Nursing Home Secrecy Act.
00:05:28
Speaker
ah Tangle web of gag orders, arbitration clauses and systematic suppression of whistleblowers and lawsuits that prevent the public from knowing what really goes on behind closed doors.
00:05:43
Speaker
So you may say, Tim, well, why is this not in the news? Why is this not all over the place? I just told you. Nursing homes have something called a secrecy act.
00:05:55
Speaker
Please look it up. I have no need to sit here and ram out, you know, clauses or claims that are not factual.
00:06:05
Speaker
So home the nursing home secrecy act is something that you can look up one online. ah You can Google it. If you have access to ChatGBT, talk to it and ask it more about it.
00:06:19
Speaker
Families sign contracts that they don't fully understand. When you put your family or your loved one into a nursing home, it is less likely that families will take the time to read through the contract and the agreements and the arbitration clauses because you're busy, right? You're busy. You have things to to do You have a life. And you're like, oh these people are going to take care of my grandmother. They're going to take care of my mom. They're going to take care of my dad.
00:06:51
Speaker
You know, we hope that they will do what's right. But in the clause, it does say that they don't have to release this information if something happens to your loved one in a nursing home, to the general public or to the media.
00:07:08
Speaker
And that they can put a gag order on the caregivers so that they can't even tell you what happened in the facility. So let's just read on. Families sign contracts that they don't really understand. i said that, right?
00:07:21
Speaker
Caregivers are silenced. So you're like, okay, well, why wouldn't one of the caregivers tell and say something or report the review abuse? In their contract, they're also silenced.
00:07:35
Speaker
a part of the Secrecy Act based on the employment contract that they signed. State inspectors often overwhelmed or under-resourced.
00:07:48
Speaker
So we say, Buzz Osmond, listen, I've had my engagement with Buzz Osmond. It's a joke. State elderly abuse plans and programs that you're supposed to report to, it's a joke.
00:08:03
Speaker
I've gotten letters back after reporting abuse situations that I know happened that said they were unsubstantiated and i could not find evidence to prove my claim.
00:08:16
Speaker
I said, okay. All right. Okay. So let's continue on because I know that this is mind blowing. I know at this point you're probably saying what in the world is happening, but I'm waking your ass up.
00:08:30
Speaker
So let's just keep going. Okay. And
Complicity in Elder Abuse Through Systems
00:08:33
Speaker
the very same system designed to protect the aging, guardianship courts, probate systems, and care oversight boards can sometimes be complacent and complicit in the abuse.
00:08:54
Speaker
I'm going to do that again for you guys. The very same system designed to protect the agent, which is the guardianship courts, probate systems, and care oversight boards can sometimes be complicit with the abuse that's going on.
00:09:13
Speaker
I'm going to dive into this conversation even more so deeper when I tell you the story of what happened to my mother, my uncle, and my grandmother. Because this is real.
00:09:24
Speaker
This is really what's happening to the aging in America. And this is what's happening right now in this broken system that people told me, Tam, you won't be able to change it. There's nothing that you could do And I said, I'm going to try.
00:09:41
Speaker
I'm going to do everything in my power that i could possibly do as a journalist. I'm going to investigate and I'm going to keep on bringing the news to people so that they will know.
00:09:53
Speaker
Because I feel like if people are informed, it's less likely that they will put themselves in a position to be done like this. So this is not just about neglect.
00:10:04
Speaker
This is about financial exportation, medical mistreatment, psychological abuse, and in the worst case, death with no accountability.
00:10:16
Speaker
If you murder somebody, is you go to jail for a homicide, You serve time. In nursing homes, these people can do mistreatment, do medical abuse, financial exploitation, causing depression, and also psychological abuse, which is so much more damaging than anything else.
00:10:41
Speaker
Here is where it leads up to misleading concepts when they tell you about, oh, psychological drugs that they're giving them to sedate them. There's so much to go behind that. We're going to get into sedation, nursing home sedation. I'm going to talk about it because I want you guys to know what they're doing inside these places.
00:11:01
Speaker
But let me just tell you.
00:11:04
Speaker
They get away with murder and there is no accountability. But we are not staying silent. We are not staying silent.
00:11:15
Speaker
I am urging people to listen to the podcast, to get in involved. Go to thebetteragingbureau.com and register and help spread the word.
00:11:26
Speaker
Aging
Exposing Elder Care Issues and New Laws
00:11:27
Speaker
in America is a podcast that is built on investigative journalism and backed by the Better Aging Bureau, a national advocacy association of concerned citizens and industry professionals.
00:11:43
Speaker
Each week, we'll unveil real evidence, court documents, insider interviews, testimonials from whistleblowers, and we'll bring you stone-cold stories that are true and factual stories from families who were brave enough to speak up.
00:12:07
Speaker
We'll also explore the new laws you need to know about. For example, in 2023, Elder Justice re author <unk> act Reauthorization Act, which expands funding for investigative abuse and training of caregivers.
00:12:32
Speaker
In 2024, the Senior Financial Protection Act aimed at cracking down on financial crimes committed against older adults and efforts to enforce arbitration and nursing home contracts, allowing families to sue for justice when negligence of abuse occurs.
00:12:59
Speaker
Because if we don't pull back the veil, the silence will continue and more will lose their lives. So if you're a caregiver, a loved one, a professional, or simply someone who refuses to look the other way, this podcast is for you.
00:13:20
Speaker
I'll be leaving you right now. But right after this, my amazing, incredible investigative team is going to join us. So don't go anywhere. They're going to join us in just a second.
00:13:40
Speaker
to the first episode of this podcast.
00:13:50
Speaker
Hi, I'm Gab with the Better Aging Bureau, a national unincorporated association made up of concerned citizens, taxpayers, educators, journalists, and respected professionals from across the country.
00:14:03
Speaker
We're honored to be part of the Aging in America project because protecting our elders is not just a mission, it's a moral obligation. If you're finding value in this podcast, we invite you to use your time currency, just a few seconds, to help us spread the word.
00:14:18
Speaker
Share the podcast. Tell a friend. Start a conversation. And don't forget, Aging in America is also a powerful television series now streaming on Exposure Plus TV, available for download on Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, Android TV, and Apple TV.
00:14:37
Speaker
You can also find Exposure Plus TV right now on the Apple Store or Google Play Store.
00:14:49
Speaker
yes Aging in America. It opens with a, well, a pretty chilling line. Yeah, it really grabs you, doesn't it? The only thing more terrifying than growing old in America is trusting a system that's designed to fail you.
00:15:02
Speaker
Wow. Yeah, that's that's stark. It definitely sets a tone. It does. And what's interesting is how upfront it is. It's not shying away from a really tough reality based on ah investigative work. Right, from Tam Lawrence at the Better Aging Bureau.
00:15:17
Speaker
The aim seems to be exposing some, well, pretty difficult truths about elder care here in the U.S. Exactly. It's not just skimming the surface. So our mission here for you listening is to pull out the key stuff from that first episode.
00:15:31
Speaker
What are the core problems? What's the scale? And um why does this actually matter to all of us? Because it really does affect everyone sooner or later. And just quickly, if you want to hear the full episode, Aging in America is on, you know, all the usual podcast apps.
00:15:45
Speaker
Plus, there's a digital magazine and even a TV show. Right, on Exposure Plus TV. It's a whole multi-platform thing, clearly trying to get this conversation going nationally. Okay, so they start strong. They hit you with some really ah sobering statistics right away.
00:15:59
Speaker
Four big ones. Yeah, the numbers are quite something. First up, 5 million older adults abused every single year in the 5 million. It's hard to even picture that number. And then the kicker is only about one in every 24 of those cases actually gets reported. One in 24. That's tiny. It just screams hidden problem, doesn't it? So much going unseen.
00:16:22
Speaker
You have to wonder why. What stops people reporting? Fear. Difficulty. All of the above, likely. And then there's the next stat they mentioned. Oh, yeah. Over 17,000 nursing home violations just in 2022.
00:16:34
Speaker
And not just any violation. No, violations for things putting residents in immediate danger. Immediate danger. Yeah. Yeah. It speaks volumes about the level of risk in some places and raises huge questions about oversight.
00:16:47
Speaker
Seriously. And the last big number they throw out, financial exploitation. Uh-huh. $36.5
Hidden Abuses Through Legal Clauses
00:16:54
Speaker
billion lost annually. Billions.
00:16:57
Speaker
That's just, it's astronomical. People losing their life savings, their security. And often when they're most vulnerable, it's devastating. And the podcast really stresses, you know, these aren't just stats. No, they're people. Real people.
00:17:10
Speaker
Our parents, grandparents, neighbors, potentially us down the line experiencing awful things. And a big part of why this keeps happening, according to the episode, is this thing they call the Nursing Home Secrecy Act.
00:17:22
Speaker
Right. Now, that's not an actual piece of legislation with that name. No, it's more like a shorthand term. Exactly. It describes this pattern of using things like forced arbitration clauses and ah non-disclosure agreements, and NDAs, ok and other legal hurdles that basically gag families, stop them from speaking out publicly about abuse or neglect or even wrongful death in these facilities.
00:17:43
Speaker
So how does that actually work? How does this Secrecy Act play out? Well, often when someone is admitted to a care facility, the family signs a mountain of paperwork. Right. Overwhelming usually.
00:17:53
Speaker
Very. And buried in there can be these clauses, these forced arbitration clauses. You might not even realize you're signing away the right to sue an open court if something terrible happens. So you're forced into private arbitration instead.
00:18:06
Speaker
Often, yes, which can be, let's say, less transparent and potentially biased towards the facility. And then if there is a settlement, it might come with an NDA. Right. Meaning you can't talk about what happened ever.
00:18:19
Speaker
Precisely. So the problems stay hidden. ah Other families don't get warned. The pattern continues. That is genuinely unsettling. Signing away rights when you're just trying to get care for someone.
00:18:30
Speaker
It is. And the podcast makes this really concrete, sharing stories from Tam Lawrence's own time as a caregiver. Right. Bringing the human cost into sharp focus. What kinds of situations do they describe?
00:18:41
Speaker
really distressing ones, elders with horrific neglected bed sores, people whose entire savings were... drained by court-appointed guardians meant to protect them. Oh, wow.
00:18:54
Speaker
And this really heartbreaking case of a 91-year-old man left in, you know, soiled conditions. His family couldn't even visit easily because the facility was using old COVID rules as a loophole.
00:19:05
Speaker
Just using the rules conveniently. Seems that way. It paints a grim picture. And it's not just stories, right? They mention evidence, too. Yes. Crucially, they include a recording from a whistleblower, someone who worked inside one of these big care companies.
00:19:20
Speaker
What did the whistleblower say? Talked about falsifying records to make things look better than they were, covering up dangerously low staffing levels, things like that. That adds a whole other layer. It's not just anecdotal then.
00:19:31
Speaker
Absolutely not. It points towards systemic issues backed by someone on the inside. Okay, so it's a pretty bleak picture, but the episode does mention some efforts to fix things, some new laws.
Challenges in Enforcing New Legislation
00:19:43
Speaker
It does touch on that. There's the Elder Justice Reauthorization Act from 2023. That's meant to increase funding ah for investigations and better staff training. OK, that sounds potentially helpful.
00:19:55
Speaker
And the Senior Financial Protection Act of 2024 aimed at tackling that fraud and exploitation we talked about. Right. The thirty six point five billion dollar problem. And there's also been some movement bipartisan efforts, apparently, to try and ban those forced arbitration clauses in nursing homes.
00:20:11
Speaker
So it sounds like lawmakers are aware steps are being taken on paper. Yes, on paper. But Tam Lawrence in the podcast offers a more critical view. What's her take? Basically that laws are one thing, but enforcement is everything. Ah, the classic problem. Exactly. You can pass all the laws you want, but if they aren't enforced properly, if there isn't enough oversight, enough resources put into making sure facilities comply.
00:20:34
Speaker
Then things don't actually change much on the ground for vulnerable people. That's the concern she raises. It's a really important point. Legislation is just the start, not the finish line. Which brings us back to, you know, why should you, listening right now, care about all this?
00:20:49
Speaker
It might feel distant. Until it isn't. That's the thing. Aging happens to all of us. And many of us or people we love will need care at some point. So understanding the potential pitfalls, yeah the reality of the system now is kind of essential preparation, isn't it?
00:21:04
Speaker
Absolutely. Knowledge is power here. This podcast, this information, it's a resource, not just for families already in the thick of it or caregivers. but for Who else? for healthcare workers, for lawyers, advocates, really for anyone who cares about how we treat older people in society.
00:21:20
Speaker
It's about being informed, being proactive. Yeah, it's about turning that alarm, those shocking stats, into awareness, into maybe asking better questions. Exactly. Empowerment rather than just fear.
00:21:32
Speaker
So wrapping up our look at this first episode of Aging in America, what's the main takeaway, the central message? I think it's the unflinching exposure of this this silent epidemic, as they call it.
00:21:44
Speaker
It really drives home that opening line from Tam Lawrence about the fear of aging and trusting a system that might fail you. It shows how it might fail you. And the podcast itself, its style is very direct.
00:21:57
Speaker
Confrontational, even. Definitely. It's investigative journalism aiming straight at the uncomfortable truths. No sugarcoating. The goal seems to be just pull back the curtain. Yeah. Expose what's hidden.
00:22:09
Speaker
And that leads to the final thought from Tam Lawrence in the episode, which is quite powerful. What's that? She basically says, if we don't pull back the veil, more lives will be lost. Wow. That's, yeah, a heavy warning.
00:22:22
Speaker
It is. And a compelling reason for all of us to pay attention, to think about what's happening. It certainly leaves you thinking, thinking about the future, your family, and maybe, just maybe, what pulling back the veil might look like for you.
00:22:35
Speaker
Thank you for tuning in to Aging in America. We appreciate you taking the time to listen, and we invite you to stay connected. Visit betteragingbureau.org to subscribe to our newsletter and gain access to exclusive, in-depth investigative reports we've uncovered, reports you won't find anywhere else.
00:22:53
Speaker
If this episode moved you, informed you, or opened your eyes, please share it with your family, peers, and professional circles. Together, we can protect those who once protected us. This podcast is proudly produced by award-winning investigative journalist Tam Lawrence and brought to you by the Better Aging Bureau.
00:23:11
Speaker
Until next time, stay informed, stay vigilant, and be the voice for those who can't speak for themselves.
00:23:26
Speaker
Maybe they could see
00:23:30
Speaker
I was here In this world I gave my time My sweat, my tears Built the dreams They now stand on But when I reach for help They turn their heads and move along
00:23:56
Speaker
If they only knew the weight I carry, the love I gave, the hope I buried, should I go through hell before going to heaven?
00:24:08
Speaker
Is age in a sentence or sacred lesson? I've aged, but don't count me out.
00:24:20
Speaker
My story, my truth still screams and shouts.
00:24:35
Speaker
Make America care for the hands that built her up with love and prayer.