It’s easy to pick areas in which we wish Ohio and West Virginia were doing better for residents. The list is long and varied. But in one category, both states are doing quite well. In WalletHub’s list of “States With the Best Elder-Abuse Protections,” the Buckeye State is 4th in the country and the Mountain State is 9th. Not too shabby.

Given the age of our states’ populations, those are important protections, indeed.

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.

“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,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.

There is always work to do. Lawmakers and public officials already working to protect those folks are to be commended, but must not slow their efforts. Families must remain vigilant, too.

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