Elder
Abuse
What is Elder Abuse?
The law defines elder abuse as "physical abuse, neglect, financial
abuse, abandonment, isolation, abduction, or other treatment with
resulting physical harm or pain or mental suffering, or the deprivation
by a care custodian of goods or services that are necessary to
avoid physical harm or mental suffering" (Welfare & Institutions
Code Section 15610.07) Elders are defined in California as persons
65 years and older.
- Physical Abuse:The infliction of physical pain
or injury, sexual assault or molestation, or use of physical or
chemical restraints for punishment or without, or beyond, the
scope of a doctor's order.
- Neglect: The failure to fulfill a caretaking
obligation such as assisting in personal hygiene, providing food,
clothing or shelter, protecting a person from health and safety
hazards, or preventing malnutrition.
- Financial Abuse: The illegal or unethical
exploitation and/or use of an elder’s funds, property, or
other assets.
- Abandonment: The desertion of an elder
by someone who is a care giver.
- Abduction: The removal, without the consent
of the conservator, of a conservatee to another state.
- Isolation: The intentional preventing
of an elder from receiving mail, telephone calls or visitors.
- Mental Suffering: The infliction of fear,
agitation, confusion through threats, harassment or other forms
of intimidating behavior.
How to Recognize Abuse
The following list gives clues for recognizing signs of elder
abuse. It is not intended to be exhaustive.
Possible Physical Abuse Indicators
Bruises and hematomas with all or some of these characteristics:
on inner arm/thigh bruises; shape similar to an object or thumb/finger
prints (oval markings from fingers); presence of old and new bruises
in the same place as from repeated injury or injuries in different
stages of healing; clustered marks as from repeated striking;
bilaterally on soft parts of body, not over bony parts (knee &
elbows).
- Scratches, cuts, pinch marks, cigarette burns, rope burns,
welts, gag marks, sprains, punctures, areas painful on touching,
hypothermia, malnourishment, bed sores, fracture, choke marks.
- Physical injury on head, scalp or face.
- Unexplained weight loss, malnutrition and/or dehydration.
Possible Behavioral Abuse Indicators
- Agitation
- Anger
- Defensiveness
- Denial
- Non responsiveness
- Hesitation to talk openly
- Anxiety
- Implausible stories
- Confusion or disorientation
- Fear
- Withdrawal
- Depression
- Helplessness
Possible Relationship Abuse Indicators
- The elder may not be given the opportunity to speak for
him/herself
- Obvious absence of assistance, attitudes of indifference,
or anger toward the elder
- Family member or caregiver “blame” the elder
- Social isolation of family, or isolation or restriction
of activity of the elder
- Conflicting accounts of incidents by the family or caregivers
- Caregiver does not allow person to be alone Suspicion
of substance abuse by caregiver
What to Do About Elder Abuse?
When you know about or even suspect elder abuse, REPORT
IT!
WHO Reports:
All concerned citizens and all MANDATED REPORTERS. (Note: "Care
Custodians" and Health Practitioners are mandated reporters.)
WHAT is reported:
Required: Mandated reporters MUST report actual or suspected physical
abuse, abandonment, isolation, financial abuse, or neglect which
is observed, evident, or described.
Permissive: Anyone may report suspected abuse.
WHERE to report:
If the abuse occurs in a community setting, the report goes to
Law Enforcement "911" or Adult Protective Services (APS).*
If the abuse occurs in a care facility, the report goes to Law
Enforcement “911” or the Ombudsman Program.*
*Call the Statewide Elder Services locator number at (800) 510-2020
for your county’s APS or ombudsman phone numbers.
Mandated Reports:
Form SOC 341 must be completed and signed by the mandated reporter.
WHEN to report:
Immediately or as soon as possible by telephone, followed by a
written report within two (2) working days.
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