The Elder Abuse and Neglect Program

To report Elder Abuse or Neglect

A. Definition: The provision of assistance to older persons who are crime victims and provision of necessary programs to protect them from being victims of crime in the future.

B. Service Activities May Include:

* advocacy in behalf of individual crime victims;

* counseling; and

* education and training.

C. Unit of Service: One hour of staff time spent in behalf of a client constitutes one unit of service.

D. Service Standards: (Reserved)

The Elder Abuse and Neglect Program responds to reports of alleged abuse, neglect or financial exploitation of persons 60 years of age and older who live in the community. This program provides investigation, intervention and follow-up services to victims. The program stresses the mentally competent older adult’s right to make their own decisions.

The local Elder Abuse Provider Agency in Western Illinois Area Agency on Aging’s 10 county service area is Alternatives for the Older Adult, Inc. Case workers from this agency conduct investigations and work with older adults in resolving abusive situations. All Elder Abuse caseworkers are trained and certified by the Illinois Department on Aging.

Following is a list of the many forms of elder abuse. In many cases seniors are subjected to more then one form of abuse.

• Physical Abuse – inflicting physical pain or injury upon an older adult.
• Sexual abuse – touching, fondling or any other sexual activity with an older adult, when the person is unable to understand, unwilling to consent, threatened or physically forced.
• Emotional abuse – verbal assaults, threats of abuse, harassment or intimidation. Emotional abuse is often coupled with other forms of abuse.
• Confinement – restraining or isolating an older person, other than for medical reasons.
• Passive neglect – the caregiver's failure to provide an older person with life's necessities, including, but not limited to, food, clothing, shelter or medical care.
• Willful deprivation – willfully denying an older person medication, medical care, shelter, food, a therapeutic device or other physical assistance, thereby exposing that person to the risk of physical, mental or emotional harm – except when the dependent person has expressed intent to forego such care.
• Financial exploitation – the misuse or withholding of an older person's resources by another, to the disadvantage of the elderly person and/or the profit or advantage of someone else.

Any one can report suspected elder abuse. In Illinois certain professionals are required by law to report suspected elder abuse of older persons who are unable, due to dysfunction, to report the abuse themselves.

Following is a listing of persons delivering professional services to older persons who are mandatory reporters.

• adult care
• law enforcement
• education
• medicine
• state service to seniors
• social workers
• social services
• paramedics
• emergency medical technicians

If you wish to make a report of suspected elder abuse in Western Illinois Area Agency on Aging’s 10 county service area contact:

• Alternatives for the Older Adult, Inc.
  1518 5^th avenue
  Moline, IL 61265
  1-800-369-8724 
  or (309) 277-0168
  After Hours 1-800-279-0400

If you wish to make a report for any where in Illinois contact:

• Illinois Department on Aging's Senior Helpline 
  at 1-800-252-8966, 
  8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 
  Monday through Friday.
• After hours, on weekends and holidays call the Elder Abuse After Hours Hotline at 1-800-279-0400.

All reports and records of the Elder Abuse and Neglect Program are subject to strict confidentiality provisions, except as provided by law or court order.