The elder abuse community education program is designed to increase public education and awareness of how to:
- Identify abuse and identify individuals who are at high risk.
- Report abuse
- Access available community resources to prevent abuse and assist caregivers
To schedule a presentation on Elder Abuse Awareness for your community, fill out our Outreach Event Request Form below.
Reporting Abuse
Elder abuse can take on many forms. It may include:
- Lack of basic amenities
- Cluttered, filthy living environment
- Unexplained or uncharacteristic behavior
- Unexplained sexually transmitted diseases
- Unpaid bills, new credit cards, and/or increased cash withdrawals
- Harassment, coercion, intimidation, humiliation
- Caregiver isolates the elder
You do not need to confirm abuse is happening to report abuse. If you suspect someone is being abused, you can report the situation based on where it occurred using the resources as follows:
Outside of a licensed long-term care facility:
Adult Protective Services (APS): Provides a system of in-person response to reports of abuse and self-neglect about developmentally disabled adults, physically and mentally disabled adults, and older people who may be victims of abuse.
Call 877-477-3646 or visit ad.lacounty.gov/services/adult-protective-services
Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
The Long-Term Care Ombudsman program provides advocacy for residents in long-term care facilities (skilled nursing and assisted living). The Ombudsman investigates complaints and conducts preliminary abuse investigations in that setting.
For more information, visit ad.lacounty.gov/services/older-adult-services/ltcop. You can also call 800-334-9473 between 8:30am - 5:00pm or 800-231-4024 after hours, and email ombudsman2@wiseandhealthyaging.org.
If a crime is in progress, call 9-1-1 immediately.
Scams
Scams can happen in many ways – in-person, through phone calls, online, emails, texts, and mail. According to research, Americans lose $40 billion each year to fake and dishonest phone calls alone. 56-80% of these phone calls target older adults, and scams are becoming more elaborate.
Below are resources to learn about the warning signs and how to prevent yourself from being scammed:
To report fraud, identity theft, or unfair business practice, please call the Federal Trade Commission at 877-382-4357. To report an online scam or fraud, contact the FBI online fraud complaint at www.ic3.gov.