According to projections from Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services, the number of the elderly population in Waukesha County who will suffer from dementia will grow from roughly 9,300 residents in 2020 to nearly 18,000 residents in 2040. In a recent report from a nonprofit group Report Elder Abuse Wisconsin, the number of reported elder abuse cases has skyrocketed, from 3251 in 2001 to 10,742 in 2021. As criminal prosecutors here in Wisconsin, we are only beginning to acknowledge the enormity and complexities of these cases. We are very lucky in Waukesha County to have a special trained team (a decided prosecutor and paralegal) who are leaders in this field in Wisconsin. My intention is to expand this awareness and specialization across the District Attorney’s Office, and across our law enforcement partners in Waukesha County. We will continue to lead in this growing fight involving some of the most vulnerable members of our community.
