ABA Family Legal Guide

The Rights of Older Americans

A Right to Control Your Own Affairs

Abuse and Exploitation

My neighbor is very old and sick. She depends on her daughter for shopping, cooking, and cleaning. However, her daughter often leaves the older woman without food and clean clothes. Is there anything I can do to help?

Yes, you may report this neglect to your local adult protective services program. This may be your state or local agency on aging or some other human services agency. You may even report abuse and neglect to the police. To find the adult protective services program serving your community, you can call your area agency on aging or contact Eldercare Locator at 800-677-1116. Adult protective services programs are responsible for investigating reports of suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation. If the program determines that abuse is occurring, they can provide or arrange a variety of services to help the victim.

You should not worry about being sued for reporting suspected abuse. Almost all states protect people who make such reports as long as they act in good faith. You may even make an anonymous report.