It’s easy to pick out areas in which we wish Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania were doing better for residents. The list is long and varied. But in one category, all three states are doing quite well. In WalletHub’s list of States With the Best Elder-Abuse Protections, the Buckeye State is fourth in the country, the Mountain State is ninth and the Keystone State is 15th. That’s not a bad showing.

Given the age of the population across the Tri-State Area, those are important protections.

Ohio’s 32nd ranking for prevalence (share of elder-abuse, gross-neglect and exploitation complaints; estimated elder fraud rate; and elder fraud loss amount per reported frauds) is commendable, as is its 16th for resources and first for protection.

West Virginia is 17th for both prevalence and resources, and 27th for protection. Areas for improvement in the state are its 47th ranking for the number of certified volunteer ombudsmen and 50th (not dead last — that’s Louisiana) for nursing home quality.

Pennsylvania is eighth for prevalence, 27th in resources and 29th in protection, according the list compiled by the Washington, D.C.-based personal financial website. The commonwealth also had the third-lowest number of elder-abuse, gross-neglect and exploitation complaints.

Overall, Wisconsin ranks first, while South Dakota is last.

“Our nation’s elderly population is vulnerable to being hurt physically, financially and mentally by both their families and their caregivers,” said Chip Lupo, an analyst with WalletHub. “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. These states offer robust legal safeguards, plenty of organizations and volunteers dedicated to helping elderly residents avoid abuse, and high-quality nursing homes and other care facilities.”

There is always work to do. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 25.1 percent of Ohio’s population is projected to be older than 60 by 2030. In Pennsylvania, that projection is 27.5 percent, while in West Virginia it is approximately 30 percent. Lawmakers and other public officials who are already working to protect those folks the best we can are to be commended, but must not slow their efforts. Families must remain vigilant as well.

Goals such as access to affordable, quality nursing home care and increasing awareness of volunteer opportunities and education for those volunteers must be prioritized. The people on whom we have relied for decades are now relying on the rest of us to make it happen.