Home Page     Crisis Lines     Emergency Services     County Health Clinics     Psychiatric Hospitals     Mental health providers     AOD 24H Crisis Lines     Contact      
How to Recognize Signs of Elder Abuse and Elder Suicide Warning Signs
 
 

Physical Abuse Indicators:

  • Bruises and discoloration on inner arm/thigh, thumb/finger prints, choke marks, presence of old and new bruises in the same place, different colored bruises, and suspicious shapes caused by coins, cords or belts used as restraints.

 

  • Scratches, cuts, pinch marks, cigarette burns, rope burns, and fractures.
  • Physical injury on head, scalp or face, e.g. black eye.
    Bruises around breast or genital areas, unexplained vaginal or anal bleeding, or torn, stained and bloody under clothing.
  • Physical restraint use not ordered by a doctor and used for the convenience of care provider, e.g., persons tied in bed, strapped into wheelchairs while slumping over or sitting out of alignment, etc.
  • Drowsiness, dry and cracked lips, drooling, vacant stare from over- medication.

 

Behavioral Abuse Indicators:

  • Fear
  • Helplessness/Resignation
  • Implausible Stories
  • Anger
  • Withdrawal
  • Hesitation to Talk Openly
  • Confusion or Disorientation
  • Denial
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Agitation
  • Non-Responsiveness

 

Neglect Indicators:

  • Poor hygiene, e.g., unkempt appearance, stained or torn clothes.
  • Dirty or uncut finger or toe nails.
  • Inadequate dental hygiene.
  • Signs of feces on resident or in bathroom and smell of urine.
  • Person lying in urine or feces.
  • Unexplained weight loss, malnutrition and dehydration.
  • Persons left unattended on toilet.
  • Bruising or fractures from rough handling or frequent falls due to lack of attention.
  • Bedsores on buttocks, heels, elbows, shoulder blades, etc.
  • Staffing problems in care facilities lead to neglect, e.g., limited number of staff on nights and weekends, staff inadequately trained or experienced for assignment, and high staff turnover.

 

Relational Abuse Indicators:

  • The elder is not given the opportunity to speak for him/herself.
  • Family or care providers restrict activity, outside contacts.
  • Family or care providers do not allow the elder to be alone with anyone.
  • Family and/or care providers provide conflicting reports on condition of the elder.
  • There are suspicions of substance abuse by caregiver.

Elder Suicide

Warning Signs

 

  • Failed suicide attempt

 

  •  
    Indirect clues - stockpiling medications; purchasing a gun; putting affairs in order; making/changing a will; donating body to science; giving possessions/money away; relationship, social downturns; recent appointment with a physician

 

  • Situations! clues- recent move, death of spouse/friend/child

 

  • Symptoms - depression, insomnia, agitation, others

 

Elder Profile for Potential Suicide

 

  • Male gender
    White

  • Divorced or widowed

  • Lives alone, isolated, moved recently

  • Unemployed, retired

  • Poor health, pain, multiple illnesses, terminal

  • Depressed, substance abuser, hopeless

  • Family history of suicide, depression, substance abuse; harsh parenting,early trauma in childhood

  • Wish to end hopeless, intolerable situation

 

  • Lethal means: guns, stockpiled sedatives/hypnotics

  • Previous attempt

  • Not inclined to reach out; often somatic complaints

 

Suspected Elder Suicidality

 

Ask direct questions:

  • Are you so down you see no point in going on? (If answer is yes, explore further: Tell me more)

  • Have you (ever) thought of killing yourself? (When? What stopped you?)

  • How often do you have these thoughts?

Gather information - keep communication open in a nonjudgmental way; do not minimize or offer advice in this situation

 

 

Report Elder Abuse

 

To Report All Kinds of Abuses
Local Law Enforcement — Police or Sheriff and District Attorney's office — check California District Attorney's Association for current addresses and phone numbers at www.cdaa.org.

 

To Report Nursing Home Abuse
Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse at 1-800-722-0432 or http://caag.state.ca.us.

 

To Report Abuse Nursing Home or Residential Care Abuse
Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. at 1-800-231-4024 or see web site at http://www.aging.ca.gov/programs/ombudsman.asp .

 

To Report Nursing Home Abuse
Department of Health Services, Licensing and Certification at www.dhs.ca.gov/.

 

To Report Residential Care Abuse
Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing at http://ccld.ca.gov/

 

If the abuse occurs in a community setting such as a home or apartment, make the report to local law enforcement and county District Attorney's office — (check California District Attorney's Association for current addresses and phone numbers at www.cdaa.org) and to the county Adult Protective Services. (Contact APS in your county by referring to California Department of Social Services Web site at http://www.dss.cahwnet.gov/cdssweb/ )

 

To Report Medi-Cal Fraud or Financial Abuse
For fraudulent Medicare practices, contact the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) at 1-800-434-0222 or http://www.cahealthadvocates.org/fraud/index.html, 1-800-Medicare or www.medicare.gov/FraudAbuse/Overview.asp, or California Senior Medicare Patrol at (714) 560-0309

 

For fraudulent Medi-Cal practices, contact the Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse at 1-800-722-0432 or http://caag.state.ca.us.

 

Other Financial Abuse
Contact the county office of the District Attorney—check California District Attorney's Association for current addresses and phone numbers at www.cdaa.org.

 

For questionable annuity practices, contact the State Insurance Commissioner's Office at 1-800-927-4347 or www.insurance.ca.gov. If an attorney sold the annuity, file a complaint with the State Bar Association at 1-800-843-9053.

 

http://www.canhr.org/abuse/abuse_signs.htm