AG - Elder Abuse

Elder Abuse Task Force

Elder Abuse Task Force Image
More than 73,000 older adults in Michigan are victims of elder abuse. They experience physical abuse, financial exploitation, emotional abuse, or neglect. The symptoms and treatment of abuse against our most senior population are complex and demand a concerted effort by this state to tackle what is an often unrecognized and unreported social problem. That’s why we have brought together dozens of different organizations to work collectively and collaboratively to tackle the challenge.

Report Elder Abuse

Report Elder Abuse
Notify the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) Adult Protective Services, if you suspect elder or vulnerable adult abuse, neglect, or exploitation occurred in:
- A private residence,
- An unlicensed setting such as an assisted living facility,
- An adult foster care home,
- A home for the aged, or
- A nursing home where the suspected perpetrator is not an employee of the facility or the resident is on leave from the nursing home.
If you are a mandated reporter, you must report any suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable adult to Adult Protective Services by calling 855-444-3911. A mandated reporter is a person who is employed, licensed, registered, or certified to provide health care, educational, social welfare, mental health, or other human services; an employee of an agency licensed to provide health care, educational, social welfare, mental health, or other human services; a law enforcement officer; or an employee of the office of the county medical examiner.

For anyone who is not a mandated reporter, you may still report suspected elder or vulnerable adult abuse, neglect, or exploitation to Adult Protective Services by calling 855-444-3911. To report abuse in a nursing facility, call the Attorney General's Health Care Fraud Division on their statewide 24-hour hotline, 800-24-ABUSE (800-242-2873).

Health Care Fraud Division
P.O. Box 30218
Lansing, MI 48909
Fax: 517-241-6515 or 517-241-1029 (during business hours)
Email
PATIENT ABUSE COMPLAINT FORM

National Crime Prevention Council Video on Elder Abuse

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Abuse, Neglect or Exploitation

Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation
To ensure patient rights are protected, the Health Care Fraud Division reviews, investigates and criminally prosecutes those facilities, employees and individuals who recklessly or intentionally harm citizens entrusted to their care.

Elder and vulnerable adult abuse, neglect and exploitation are behaviors committed against an elder or vulnerable adult who is unable to protect himself or herself due to a mental or physical impairment or due to advanced age.
- Abuse is harm or threatened harm to an adult's health or welfare caused by another person.
- Neglect is the inability or failure of the adult, or an individual responsible for the care of the elder or vulnerable adult, to provide adequate food, shelter, clothing, medical care, etc.
- Exploitation is the misuse of an adult's funds, property or personal dignity by another person.
The perpetrators are often trusted family, friends, neighbors or caregivers. This can occur in the person's home, in the home of another person or in licensed settings such as adult foster care, homes for the aged or nursing homes.

REPORT ELDER ABUSE

Document Abuse

Document Elder Abuse
IMMEDIATELY report the incident, verbally or by letter, to the administrator, the director of nursing, or the charge nurse of the health care facility.

IMMEDIATELY report applicable situations to the Adult Protective Services-MDHHS; Michigan Deparment of Attorney General, Health Care Fraud Division; Long Term Care Ombudsman; the State Police and/or the local police or Sheriff's Department.

Obtain photographs, if possible, of the physical injury and make a written statement concerning:
- What you observed,
- When you observed the incident,
- Who was present, and
- Any further information that may be of assistance.

Resources

Nursing Home Abuse, Neglect or Exploitation

If you suspect abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a resident of a nursing home by another resident or by a nursing home employee notify the following agencies:
- Attorney General 24-hour Health Care Fraud Hotline: 800-24-ABUSE (800-242-2873)
- Bureau of Community and Health Services Abuse Hotline: 800-882-6006
- Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service, Inc.:
  
  Developmental Disabilities: 800-288-5923
  
  Mental Illness: 800-288-5923

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