It is commendable that the Finger Lakes Elder Abuse Coalition tries to raise public consciousness about the abuse, neglect and financial exploitation of many senior citizens who live in their own homes or with relatives.

But this organization and similar organizations should be equally concerned about elder abuse in the very places where elders are supposed to receive skilled care and maximum protection.

It is also commendable that the governing bodies of the Finger Lakes counties of Cayuga, Ontario, Seneca, Schuyler, Wayne and Yates declared June 15 as Elder Abuse Prevention Awareness Day within their respective counties. But why do these same governing bodies not include nursing home reform in their declarations?

Poor nursing home care is our nation's disgrace. Yet rarely, if ever, is this issue raised in election campaigns

In the current race for the presidency, neither senator, McCain nor Obama, have addressed this deplorable situation.

During the past 12 years, about 40 congressional reports have documented continuing maltreatment at thousands of America's nursing homes, including some nursing homes in some of the counties mentioned above. These reports documented thefts, deaths and injuries caused by physical abuse, medical and nursing home malpractice, understaffing, excessive psychiatric drugging, preventable pressure sores and urinary tract infections, malnutrition and dehydration.

There is a need for camera surveillance monitoring, mandated resident-to-staff ratios, more incentive to reward good nursing homes, and harsher penalties for negligent nursing home owners.

About 44 percent of America's seniors will spend time as nursing home residents; 25 percent of senior citizens will die in nursing homes.

Every elder abuse coalition, every law enforcement agency, and every politician should give high priority to protecting all vulnerable senior citizens. Nursing home residents are one of the most vulnerable segments of our society.

Joel Freedman

Canandaigua

Freedman serves on the Nursing Home Staffing Committee of the Long Term Care Community Coalition