New performance assessments for Pa. elder abuse agencies will mask ongoing failures, critics fear

Story by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

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HARRISBURG — The Shapiro administration has changed the way it grades the performance of agencies that protect Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable older adults from abuse and neglect, a move critics say will create a false impression of how effective they are at providing quality protective services.

For years, many of the 52 county Area Agencies on Aging have struggled to comply with strict standards for keeping older adults safe, in some cases even leaving them at risk of harm.

The Department of Aging, whic