Whether it is physical abuse, financial exploitation, emotional abuse, neglect, or self-neglect, the symptoms and treatment of elder abuse are complex. It is often characterized by life-threatening actions inflicted upon vulnerable adults. Elder abuse is also about the theft of resources that leads to the financial and emotional devastation of persons who have no ability to recoup their losses.
In Michigan, it is estimated that at least 73,000 older adults are victims of abuse. Increases in the population of people aged 60 and older, means the problem of elder abuse will only increase. The Michigan Office of Services to the Aging has been actively involved in elder abuse prevention efforts for decades, learning that the key to ending abuse is prevention, and the key to prevention is education and early intervention. The Office of Services to the Aging is committed to working with aging network, social service, domestic violence prevention, business community, regulatory and criminal justice professionals to improve elder abuse prevention, identification, investigation, prosecution, and victim assistance efforts.
If you believe an older adult to be the victim of abuse, neglect or exploitation, you can report your suspicions or concerns to the Vulnerable Adult Help Line, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-996-6228. The Elder Abuse topics of interest has other important phone numbers and other valuable information on elder abuse.
Training modules on Adult Abuse and Neglect Prevention Training are valuable resources at no cost to help educate direct access staff and caregivers of techniques to prevent adult abuse and neglect.
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