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by ERIN PARROTT
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A newly released WalletHub analysis delivered another dire warning for South Carolina’s elderly population – placing the Palmetto State near the bottom of the barrel nationally with the second-worst score for elder-abuse protections in 2026.
The evaluation from WalletHub – a free personal finance platform that helps users manage their money – compares all 50 states (including Washington D.C.) across more than a dozen metrics meant to capture how effectively each state protects residents aged 65 and up from abuse, neglect or exploitation.
These metrics include:
- The rate of elder-abuse, gross-neglect and exploitation complaints per capita.
- The amount of state spending directed at elder-abuse prevention.
- The number of elder-care organizations and services available.
- Quality indicators of long-term care facilities and nursing homes.
According to the analysis, South Carolina under-performs on nearly every measure – leaving many seniors with fewer protections, fewer resources and increased vulnerability to abuse or neglect.
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For years, the Palmetto State has hovered near the bottom, ranking No. 49 nationwide in last year’s report.
Now, with the 2026 update placing the state as the second-worst in the nation, the situation has only worsened. The drop underscores a failure – not just of policy, but of protection for some of the state’s most vulnerable citizens.
The elder-abuse protections in South Carolina out of 50 (1=Best; 25=Avg.):
- 49th for elder-abuse, gross-neglect and exploitation complaints.
- 45th for total expenditures on elder-abuse prevention.
- 16th for total long-term care ombudsman-program funding.
- 42nd for number of eldercare organizations and services.
- 35th for nursing-homes quality.
These rankings raise urgent questions for lawmakers, elder-care regulators and advocacy groups alike: What will it take to make South Carolina a safer place for aging residents?
“Our nation’s elderly population is vulnerable to being hurt physically, financially and mentally by both their families and their caregivers,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “Elderly people who foresee needing care in the near future, or families who want to make sure their relatives receive the best treatment possible, should be aware of the states with the best elder-abuse protections.”
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By contrast, states at the top of WalletHub’s list – such as Wisconsin, Massachusetts and Ohio – benefit from strong protections, well-funded elder-care infrastructure and robust reporting and intervention systems.
That kind of comprehensive approach ensures seniors have access to safe living conditions, legal protections and community resources that can intervene when abuse or neglect surfaces.
For South Carolina to improve, advocates argue the state must:
- Increase spending on elder-abuse prevention and services.
- Expand the number of elder-care organizations.
- Strengthen oversight of nursing homes and assisted-living facilities.
- Make it easier for abuse and neglect complaints to be reported and addressed swiftly.
FITSNews has covered elder issues in South Carolina extensively over the years. Count on us to keep our audience informed as to the progress (or lack thereof) being made on them…
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Erin Parrott is a Greenville, S.C. native who graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2025 with a bachelor degree in broadcast journalism. Got feedback or a tip for Erin? Email her here.
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