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Reporting
Elder
Abuse in Texas
To report the abuse, neglect, or exploitation of
older or disabled persons call the
Texas Department of Family
and Protective Services at 1-800-252-5400.
This hotline is in
operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Many people who are elderly or have disabilities live alone or are
dependent on others for their care. Isolation is a factor that places
vulnerable adults at risk for abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Make it
your mission to remember the elderly and adults with disabilities in
your community.
Adult
Protective Services Facts and Figures
- Texas has more than 2.2 million residents age 65 or older according to population projections.
- Nearly one out of five people have a disability, and almost one-half of people over 65 have a disability.
- In
Fiscal Year 2005, Adult Protective Services completed 67,023
investigations of abuse, neglect, or exploitation involving adults
living at home. Of these, 45,392 were confirmed.
- In
Fiscal Year 2005, Adult Protective Services completed 8,169 MH&MR
investigations, which include MH&MR settings such as state
hospitals, schools, and centers.
- In the last decade, the number of in-home cases investigated by Adult Protective Services has more than doubled.
- More than 85% of the allegations of maltreatment that are validated in APS in-home cases include neglect.
Factors Contributing to Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation:
-
Aging population
- Growing number of adults with disabilities
- Alcohol and drug dependency
- Unemployment<
- Lack of affordable housing and high costs of utility bills
- De-institutionalization of persons who are mentally ill and/or mentally retarded when community support is not adequate
- Inadequate access to health care and costly medications
- Pathological family relationships/violence as a coping mechanism in society
- Physical and mental stress of caregiving in traditionally non-violent, caring households
- Denial of benefits, such as SSI and Medicaid, to some elderly and disabled immigrants
- Waiting lists and other limitations in the availability of in-home care and home health care
- Shortage of resources to serve persons denied long-term care and other benefits under welfare reform
- Lack of access to affordable health care and prescription drugs
- Inadequate community services for persons discharged from state hospitals and schools
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Lack of statewide access to preventative or early intervention services
such as case management for elderly persons and adults with
disabilities who are at risk but not yet experiencing abuse, neglect,
or exploitation
Possible Indicators
of Abuse, Neglect, or Exploitation
The
following descriptions are not necessarily proof of abuse, neglect,
or exploitation. But they may be clues that a problem exists, and
that a report needs to be made to law enforcement or Adult Protective
Services.
Physical Signs
- Injury that has not been cared for properly
- Injury that is inconsistent with explanation for its cause
- Pain from touching
- Cuts, puncture wounds, burns, bruises, welts
- Dehydration or malnutrition without illness-related cause
- Poor coloration
- Sunken eyes or cheeks
- Inappropriate administration of medication
- Soiled clothing or bed
- Frequent use of hospital or health care/doctor-shopping
- Lack of necessities such as food, water, or utilities
- Lack of personal effects, pleasant living environment, personal items
- Forced isolation
Behavioral Signs
- Fear
- Anxiety, agitation
- Anger
- Isolation, withdrawal
- Depression
- Non-responsiveness, resignation, ambivalence
- Contradictory statements, implausible stories
- Hesitation to talk openly
- Confusion or disorientation
Signs by Caregiver
- Prevents elder from speaking to or seeing visitors
- Anger, indifference, aggressive behavior toward elder
- History of substance abuse, mental illness, criminal behavior, or family violence
- Lack of affection toward elder
- Flirtation or coyness as possible indicator of inappropriate sexual relationship
- Conflicting accounts of incidents
- Withholds affection
- Talks of elder as a burden
Signs of Financial Abuse
- Frequent expensive gifts from elder to caregiver
- Elder's personal belongings, papers, credit cards missing
- Numerous unpaid bills
- A recent will when elder seems incapable of writing will
- Caregiver's name added to bank account
- Elder unaware of monthly income
- Elder signs on loan
- Frequent checks made out to "cash"
- Unusual activity in bank account
- Irregularities on tax return
- Elder unaware of reason for appointment with banker or attorney
- Caregiver's refusal to spend money on elder
- Signatures on checks or legal documents that do not resemble elder's
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REPORTING
ELDER ABUSE IN TEXAS
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The law requires any person who believes that an elderly or adult with
disabilities is being abused, neglected or exploited to report the circumstance
to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) Statewide
Intake.
To report the abuse, neglect, or exploitation of
older or disabled persons call the
Texas Department of Family
and Protective Services at 1-800-252-5400. This hotline is in
operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
To access detailed information about the past performance of every Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing home in the country,
visit the Nursing
Home Compare Database, a service
made available by Medicare.Gov Source: Texas
Department of Family and Protective Services
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