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elder abuse (not including neglect or self neglect) in this state. A random sample of <br />elders from 7 counties across the state indicated that 7.5% of them had been physically, <br />psychologically, socially or financially abused since turning 65 years of age (Hudson & <br />Carlson, 1998, 1999). If neglect and self-neglect were added, the prevalence rate would <br />be higher. <br />In 1998 North Carolina had some 946,753 older adults. This state does have a <br />mandatory reporting law for mistreatment of disabled adults. Orange County is one of <br />the 100 counties in North Carolina and it has a large older adult population. The growth <br />rate of this population is expected to outpace the older adult growth rate of the United <br />States. The 65+ population of Orange County is expected to grow from 9,308 persons <br />in 1996 to 21,553 by the year 2020. This is a projected increase of 131.6% versus a <br />total population growth rate of only 38.1 %. Currently, Orange County has a greater <br />number of residents over age 65 than children in the public schools. Further, the real <br />shift in this population increase will continue to be in persons aged 85 years and older, <br />and older women will outnumber older men by a significant margin. In 1997, 60.7% of <br />the older adult population in North Carolina were women. This fact is important <br />because according to Takamura & Golden's 1998 study, except in cases of <br />abandonment, older women, in comparison to older men, were found to be abused and <br />neglected in numbers disproportionate to their prevalence in the older adult population. <br />Using the previously mentioned prevalence figures, if one estimates that <br />somewhere between 3.2 and 7.5% of the 9,308 older adults in Orange County are <br />abused and/or neglected each year this suggests 298 to 698 mistreated elders. Yet, <br />between July 1, 1998 and June 30, 1999 only 35 cases (26 in domestic settings and 9 in <br />long-term care facilities) of abuse, neglect, self-neglect or exploitation were reported to <br />Orange County. Adult Protective Services. Therefore, if one uses the midpoint figure of <br />498 expected cases of elder mistreatment per year in Orange County, only 7% (35) of <br />4