Dayton calls for action after reading stories of senior care abuse

Gov. Mark Dayton says he's setting up a task force to address abuses in Minnesota's senior care industry following a newspaper's revelations. Dayton said he also wants the Legislature to act.

Abuses and neglect reported in senior care centers, outlined in a series of Minneapolis Star Tribune articles, are appalling, the governor told reporters Wednesday. Some of the abuses were clearly criminal acts and should have been reported as such already, he added.

"I want Minnesotans to be assured that their loved ones are being properly cared for and protected, in those situations," he said. "And I also call on the industry, the care industry who house these individuals as well as others with disabilities and other infirmities to step forward also. They'll be part of the task force. I want them to take responsibility."

Dayton said he's already asked for more money to oversee the state's 1,800 licensed senior care facilities. But he also said he believes there are too many incidents that aren't getting properly addressed by state authorities.