If the situation is an emergency, please call 9-1-1.
Professionals expect that for every case of adult abuse or neglect reported, as many as 23 cases go unreported. This is a devastating expectation, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the coronavirus, more and more older adults are isolated and self-neglected than ever. Not only families tend not to gather as many as possible, older adults who live alone are more likely to self-neglect themselves as it becomes hard to go out of public spaces. This is the most urgent time for us to be aware of elder abuse and keep an eye on one another.
What is Elder Abuse?
- Check out our recent blog post about elder abuse and acknowledgments.
- If you have worries about COVID-19 related scams, please read our COVID-19 scams blog post for more information.
- Suppose you would like to learn more about the latest information regarding research, training, best practices, and resources on elder abuse. In that case, the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) can be a helpful organization to start with. NCEA provides enrich publications for family caregivers, older adults, and professionals.
How We Can Help?
Meals on Wheels
Even before the COVID outbreak, more than 9.5 million older adults were marginally food insecure. Focused on older Americans’ food securities and nourished lives, Meals on Wheels can regularly check in on seniors who live alone or in high-risk households. Please visit their website to join the program or learn more about the organization.
Adult Protective Services (APS)
APS professionals investigate elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation with various experts from healthcare workers to local law enforcement officers. In Missouri, contact 800-392-0210 to report abuse cases of seniors or adults with disabilities in the home ad in long-term care facilities. You can report a case online as well.
Long-term Care Ombudsman
If you suspect elder abuse or neglect, you can report to the local long-term care ombudsman for an advocate. You can visit the State website to find a local ombudsman organization in Missouri. If the facility is in the regions we serve, please call 314-919-2411 to discuss more.
How and who do you report to about a company taking advantage, monetarily of my 95 year old Mother?
Hello, Craig. If you suspect that your mother may be the victim of financial abuse or exploitation, you can call the Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-800-392-0210 or report it online here: https://apps4.mo.gov/APS_Portal/.
Our ombudsman are also available if you have any additional questions or need further assistance.
https://www.voycestl.org/how-help/ombudsman-program/request-ombudsman/
I live in North Carolina and my sister , who is 74, lives in Missouri. My sister has always been financially independent and has been able to take of herself. Her daughter recently moved in with her and I suspect she is physically and I know she is mentally abusing my sister. The daughter recently totalled her car. She let her insurance expire and now she has taken my sisters car and confined her to her home and demands that she not speak to anyone. My sister feels frightened and feels she has to do what her daughter says or she will get beaten. What resources does she have to get this person away from her so she will feel safe again?
Hello Reta. If you suspect abuse or neglect, you or your sister can call the Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-800-392-0210 or report it online here: https://apps4.mo.gov/APS_Portal/.
Other than the Hotline, you can contact the Missouri Protection & Advocacy Services: (573) 893-3333 or 1 (800) 392-8667. Their lawyers can provide legal advice.
Safe Connections (314-646-7500; https://safeconnections.org) is a good St. Louis local organization that deals with domestic violence. They have a 24/7 Crisis Helpline 314-531-2003, which is helpful.
Other than that, it is helpful to remind your sister to call 911. Lots of these entities don’t deal with emergency situations, but when things are urgent, older folks often forget they can call 911 for help.
Our ombudsman are also available if you have any additional questions or need further assistance.
https://www.voycestl.org/how-help/ombudsman-program/request-ombudsman/
I work in a Dr’s office and we have a 92 year old patient who’s health had drastically declined for the last several months. We have gotten her set up to get scans, therapy, and medication, however she’s always having issues getting to her appointments; not only with us, but with her specialist to give her therapy for her severe conditions. Turns out, she couldn’t even get her medications, let alone appointments, and had lost weight rapidly so our office staff members have been driving her to her appointments. It started with just appointments but then led to picking up medications, getting her food, booking her COVID vaccination and taking her to get her vaccination. We have reached out to her son who gets hostile when spoken to. His excuses changes from ridiculous lies that he had forgotten he told us a different excuse the last time. We recently learned that another child of hers MAILED her food from out of state because the one living down the block had stopped bringing her food. She has an appointment every 13 days for therapy & the poor old lady asked us to take her to get her license. (I know she’s feeling like she is a burden) When we notified the son, he got very hostile & had cut my manager off every time she suggested something to help with the situation. Instead, he accused his mother of going behind his back because they “agreed” on her not driving anymore. We offered traveling options to him, gave him advises on how to work around his “work schedule” that seemed to be very convenient for him but never for his 92 year old mother. Every time we did notify him, his mother would call the same day later to apologize for asking us for assistance or for being a burden. She also makes a huge extra effort to explain why her son can’t assist her leading me to think he is verbally abusing her behind closed doors. This ONLY happens when we call to tell him she is in need of something. Our policies does not include medical care to this extent & outside of our clinic but she is our patient and we care. How do we report this situation without her paying the repercussions?
Hello Amee. I completely understand your concern about retaliation against your patient. However, if you suspect abuse or neglect, which includes emotional abuse, you can call the Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-800-392-0210 or report it online here: https://apps4.mo.gov/APS_Portal/. These reports can be anonymous, and you can discuss your concern about retaliation with them. They can let you know what their process is and explain how they can handle the situation keeping your patient’s best interest in mind.
Our ombudsman are also available if you have any additional questions or need further assistance.
https://www.voycestl.org/how-help/ombudsman-program/request-ombudsman/
plz im vulnerable stroke cardio diabetes, plz coordinate my vaccine; adult disable
m.lachhab
Hello, Mohammed. Unfortunately, we cannot coordinate vaccines. If you are a Missouri resident, you can visit the following site for more information about receiving the vaccine: https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/navigator/.
You can also call 1-877-435-8411 to talk to somebody about how you can get the vaccine.
Hello, I live in California and my 92 year old father lives in Texas,
My father has been falling since last year, only to find out that he had been given medication from Mexico
by his wife who he married twenty years ago. My father has his doctors in Texas, When I learned of this I asked him not to be mixing his medications with the ones from Mexico.
He has not fallen since then.
He fell about two weeks ago when he missed a step going in to the building called Home away from Home, it is a center where elderly men and women go and get fed Etc. He was taken to the emergency by ambulance, was checked out and was released.
My bother sent me a picture of him in tears in a make shift bed, this broke my heart. My brother asked him if he had taken any pain meds he said no. My brother than asked his wife if and when was the last time my father had taken pain meds, my fathers wife replied yesterday, My brother asked her to give my father some pain meds and she did.
Sometimes I will call my father and he never answers his phone. I have to call her number in order to speak to my father and puts the phone on speaker, I related that if he continues to have unbearable pain that he should be going in to the hospital for another check up and perhaps the hospital can prescribe a stronger medication for his pain,
His wife is in the background stating that he has already been there and that they did not find any broken bones. and neglects him. My father has been isolated from our family, brothers and sisters. He has a phone which I believe his wife turn it off or hides from him. My father and I had every day conversations. He has a care giver who is his wife’s daughter who is not there in the mornings or does not show up at all.
I feel that his wife is abusing my father, and that I need to report this to the Attorney General of Texas Elderly Abuse Department. I fear for my father’s health and safety.
Juanita, I am sorry to hear that you are having issues with the care of your father. In Texas, you can use the following website to report abuse/neglect for older adults: https://www.txabusehotline.org/Login/Default.aspx
You can also call 1-800-252-5400, which is the Texas Abuse and Neglect Hotline number.
It sounds like your father is not in long-term care, but if he is, you can contact the Texas long-term care ombudsman with this website: https://apps.hhs.texas.gov/news_info/ombudsman/
Help us in Portland. An organization is abusing adults in multiple facilities. They own over 100 buildings and neglect and abuse residents daily. This involves a recent death.
Jerry, thank you for reaching out, and I am so sorry to hear about the issues you are facing in Portland. We do not have any jurisdiction in Portland, but you can contact the Oregon Long-Term Care Ombudsman at 800-522-2602 or 503-373-0852.
https://www.oltco.org/programs/ltco-about-us.html
My friend lives in Pennsylvania with her son and daughter-in-law. Today her daughter-in-law called her on the phone and gave her until next Friday to be out — she is elderly and has physical limitations and has no place to go. I am far away from her in another state and have no way to assist her. They have been verbally abusing her because she can’t care for their two large dogs during the day. It’s ridiculous. Can you give me some assistance in what I can do from this distance. Thank you
I am so sorry to hear that your friend is facing these difficulties. I would recommend reaching out to the Pennsylvania long-term care ombudsman office. Here is their contact information:
717-783-8975 or LTC-ombudsman@pa.gov
https://www.aging.pa.gov/aging-services/Pages/Ombudsman.aspx
Senior abuse, Franktown, VA
My brother is a disabled vet—he has been regularly abused by his wife who blocks his calls, emails, and texts—she refuses to have any of his relatives or family visit or even connect with him.
He wants a divorce, but until his senior abuse is reported, I feel he cannot go forward. She refuses to divorce him, or move if he asks her to do so, she has made life miserable and wants to commit him any way she can to get rid of him. She uses his car and since he has no license he has no ability to drive—-he also bought the house they live in.
They live remotely on the peninsula, and he has no friends, or any way to get around. He is isolated, and needs help-=I suggested he ask her to buy him out, but he is so happy in the home with their 2 dogs, he is not making any effort to leave. He calls me regularly to tell me more of what she is doing to abuse him, and I do not know what to do, but have said to report senior abuse. He is in his mid 70’s and cannot take care of himself. Please send me suggestions, for my emotionally abused brother, with senior abuse. Thank you.
Thank you for reaching out, Meredith, and I am sorry to hear that your brother is in that situation. I would advise reaching out to the ombudsmen for that area. The agency that oversees Franktown, VA is the Eastern Shore Area Agency on Aging. The ombudsman there is Marsha Bunting. Number: 757-442-9652. Email: mbunting@esaaacaa.org
Additionally, if you would like to report this suspected abuse, the Adult Protective Services hotline number for Virginia is 888-832-3858. You can also reach out to the local social services department. For where your brother lives, that phone number is 757-787-1530. Here is their website: https://www.co.accomack.va.us/departments/social-services
In August on 2022 my +90 year old aunt began to show signs of cognitive dysfunction. She had an local attorney managing her estate, however my sister and her husband who were then retired attorneys from NY State BARR Association also pursued legal representation of her estate and her finances.
I visited my aunt regularly and as she began to fail both physically and mentally. it became appaent that both her attorney and my siser were ignoring her needs. Briefly, on her last occaision at homr, they left her alone on the couch of her den for 3 days unattended. I and a concerned neighbor found her in the same position on Tuesday that she was on the previous Sunday. She seemed dehydrated and exteremely foggy and untoileted.
I called my sister and her husband answered, and I needed to pressure him to contact her Medical Ins. to obtain home care. Although, this might have passed as tolerable, there has been speculation that both my sister and her husband have been boasting of removing a substantial amount of money from her estate.
It has been a year since my aunt has passed, however is there a way to seek legal remedy for these issues?