Prevention of Abuse and Exploitation of Participant (Required)


  • Defining Types of Abuse
    • Self-Neglect: Isolation, depression, and immobility can lead to self-neglect; elder persons may not keep themselves, their clothes, and their homes clean and free of health hazards. May neglect to take medicine, keep appointments, and pay bills. They may not eat safe and nutritious foods.
    • Neglect: Can be unintentional; caregiver may forget to provide basic needs or lack ability; deliberate neglect is unlawful.
    • Financial Exploitation: Stealing a victim’s money, car, and possessions or using them to manipulate elderly friend or relative.
    • Emotional: Victims are threatened, humiliated, or kept isolated from family and friends; damage’s elder’s self-esteem.
    • Physical and Sexual: Broken bones, bruises, cuts, burns, and severe trauma may be evidence of abuse.
  • Characteristics of the Abuse Victim
    • Isolated
    • Dependent on the abuser
    • Frail or chronically ill
    • Lives alone or with abuser
    • Physically or mentally impaired
  • Signs of Abuse and Neglect
    • Look for signs of abuse and neglect when monitoring the lifestyle of the elderly. If one or more of the following are detected, abuse may have occurred:
      • Injury that has not been cared for properly
      • Burns or cuts
      • Poor hygiene
      • Malnutrition or dehydration
      • Evidence of inadequate care
      • Injury that doesn’t fit with medical history
      • Sunken eyes or cheeks
      • Soiled clothing
      • Evidence of excessive medication such as drowsiness
  • Characteristics of the Abuser
    • Usually a relative of the victim
    • Because of a close relationship, the elder victim is less likely to report abuse
  • Abuser often:
    • Has alcohol or drug abuse problem, chronic medical condition, or financial crisis
    • Is financially dependent on victim for home, car, or food
    • Is under stress
    • Has a history of violence in family
  • Preventing Elder Abuse and Neglect
    • Learn the facts!
    • Promote the elderly’s involvement in activities that require social contact with others
    • Encourage elderly persons to develop a social support network
    • Develop a neighbor-to-neighbor program
    • Encourage community participation (Meals on Wheels, Senior Centers, etc.)
    • If you know or suspect someone that is getting abused, report the situation
  • Statistics Related to Elder Abuse
    • Between one and two million Americans 65 or older have been injured, exploited, or otherwise mistreated by someone
    • For every one case that is reported, there are five cases that go unreported
    • Residents of licensed long-term care facilities account for 30% of substantiated cases of abuse, neglect, exploitation, and abandonment
  • Mandatory Reporting
    • A mandated reporter is anyone who is part of an organization of people that uses public funds and is paid in part to provide care and support to adults in a licensed or unlicensed setting
  • Act 12 of 1997: Requires an employee who has reasonable cause to believe that a recipient is a victim of abuse to immediately report the abuse
    • Make an oral report, then written report to law enforcement
    • Make an oral report to the PA Department of Aging (717-783-6207)
  • Voluntary Reporting
    • Any person may make a report
    • Reporters have legal protection from retaliation or disciplinary action
    • Reporters shall be immune from civil or criminally liability unless they acted in bad faith or with malicious purpose