ELDER ABUSE
TASK FORCE
More than 73,000 older adults in Michigan are
victims of elder abuse. They experience abuse,
neglect and exploitation.
The symptoms and treatment of elder abuse are
complex and demand a concerted effort to tackle this
often unrecognized and unreported social problem.
That’s why we brought together dozens of different
organizations to work collaboratively to tackle the
challenge.
ABUSE
Harm or threatened harm to an adult’s health or
welfare caused by another person.
NEGLECT
The inability or failure to provide adequate food,
shelter, clothing, medical care, etc.
EXPLOITATION
The misuse of an adult’s funds, property or
personal dignity (e.g., humiliation, objectication,
degradation, dehumanization) by another person.
Take photographs and written notes on: what you
observed, when you observed it, who was present,
and any further information that may be of assistance.
Immediately report incidents in licensed settings to
the administrator, the director of nursing or charge
nurse (in a nursing home), or director of resident care
(in a home for the aged or adult foster care) of the
facility.
Immediately report applicable situations to Adult
Protective Services; the State Police and/or the local
police; Attorney General Health Care Fraud Division;
Long Term Care Ombudsman; and the Department of
Insurance and Financial Services.
DOCUMENT & REPORT IT
SEE IT
PHYSICAL SIGNS
of Elder Abuse/Neglect/Exploitation
EMOTIONAL/BEHAVIORAL SIGNS
of Elder Abuse/Neglect/Exploitation
FINANCIAL SIGNS
of Elder Abuse/Neglect/Exploitation
Dehydration or unusual weight loss
Missing medication or medical
assistive devices
Unexplained injuries or sores
Unsanitary living conditions or poor
hygiene
Unattended medical needs or missed
appointments
Unusual changes in behavior or sleep
patterns
Withdrawal from normal activities
Isolation from friends or family
Increased anxiety or fear
Hesitance to speak in presence of
“caregiver”
Unpaid bills (elder adult receives foreclosure
warnings, electricity is shut off)
Unusual changes in spending patterns
(increases in ATM withdrawals, checks made
out to cash or written out of order)
Missing household items (cherished
heirlooms, expensive tools, or other valuable
items)
Unexpected changes in wills or property
deeds (property deeded/will changed to
benet “new friend”)
Purchase of large items the elder adult does
not use (vehicles when the adult does not
drive, timeshare purchases when adult is
homebound)
*Source material used with permission from the National Center on Elder Abuse
Michigan Attorney General
Health Care Fraud Division
P.O. Box 30218
Lansing, MI 48909
800-24-ABUSE (22873)
mi.gov/elderabuse
No Excuse for Elder Abuse slogan used with permission from NLSM- Elder Law and Advocacy Center.
REPORT ABUSE:
855-444-3911
NO EXCUSE
FOR ELDER ABUSE.
REPORT ABUSE, NEGLECT
EXPLOITATION
Notify the Michigan Department of Health and
Human Services Adult Protective Services
(mi.gov/protectiveservices) at 855-444-3911,
if you suspect abuse, neglect or exploitation
occurred in:
• A private residence;
• An unlicensed setting (i.e., 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.
AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION
Adult Protective
Services
855-444-3911
mi.gov/mdhhs
24-hour crisis
intervention for
vulnerable adults.
Attorney
General
Consumer
Protection
877-765-8388
mi.gov/
agcomplaints
Report consumer
complaints (e.g., scams,
identity theft).
Attorney
General
Financial Crimes
517-335-7560
mi.gov/elderabuse
taking money or assets
from a vulnerable
adult not in a licensed
residential care facility.
Attorney
General
Health
Care
Fraud
800-24-ABUSE
(800-242-2873)
mi.gov/elderabuse
Report financial or
physical abuse or neglect
of residents in licensed
residential care facilities.
Attorney
General
Public
Administration
517-335-4004
mi.gov/elderabuse
Concerns about a
Public Administrator’s
handling of estate assets
of individuals who die
without a will or known
heirs.
Counsel and
Advocacy Law
Line (CALL)
888-783-8190
Attorney-staffed
telephone advice, brief
service, and referrals for
seniors (60+) and low
income people.
Department
of Insurance
and Financial
Services
877-999-6442
mi.gov/difs
Investigate consumer
complaints against
insurance, banking, credit
union, mortgage and
Community and
Health Systems
Nursing homes:
800-882-6006
Adult foster care/
homes for the aged:
866-856-0126
Report abuse or neglect
concerns in licensed
facilities.
LARA Bureau
of Professional
Licensing
517-241-0199
mi.gov/lara
Report complaints
and allegations
against licensed care
professionals (doctors,
dentists, nurses, etc.)
Michigan
Long Term Care
Ombudsman
866-485-9393
Concerns about your
rights, care, or services in
a nursing home, home for
aged or adult foster care.
REPORT ELDER ABUSE
IN A NURSING HOME
To report abuse in a nursing home, contact the
Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Division on
its statewide hotline, 800-24-ABUSE
(800-242-2873), by email ([email protected]v)
or through the online complaint form
(mi.gov/agcomplaints).
This project was supported by Victims of Crime Act Award Number 2018-V2-GX-0067
awarded by the Ofce for Victims of Crime, U.S. Department of Justice to the
Division of Victim Services, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
