Gov. Nathan Deal, seated, signs House Bill 78 into law Friday at Magnolia Manor South n Moultrie. The law focuses on abuse of the elderly; it increases the number of mandatory reporters of suspected abuse, and it clarifies the law to make it easier for law enforcement to prosecute physical or financial abuse of the elderly, Deal said. With him, from left, are Julia Johnston, former president of the Colquitt County AARP, state Rep. Jay Powell, state Sen. Dean Burke, state Rep. Jason Shaw and state Rep. Sam Watson.

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal signed into law on Friday a bill to help fight abuse of the elderly, and he came to a Moultrie personal care home to do it.

House Bill 78, sponsored by Rep. Wendell Willard, R-Sandy Springs, and five others, increases the number of mandated reporters of abuse and collects the language of various state laws on the matter into a single act, according to remarks by Deal and Commissioner Clyde Reese of the Department of Human Services.

Reese said in the current fiscal year, the Department of Aging Services, a division of his agency, is investigating 2,100 cases of elder abuse, 2,700 cases of financial exploitation, 3,600 cases of neglect, 3,700 cases of self-neglect and 73 cases of sexual abuse of an elderly person.

“We want to make sure we don’t allow people to abuse the elderly of our state,” said Deal, a former prosecutor.

The changes made by the new law will make prosecution of crimes against the elderly easier, he said. It also expands similar protection to disabled adults of any age.