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Government of Erie County, New York

Department of Senior Services

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Programs & Services

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For assistance call 858-8526 or email seniorinfo@erie.gov

Health

Adult Protective Services/Elder Abuse

Protective Services for Adults programs were created to address the problems of elder abuse and the abuse of younger mentally or physically impaired adults.

By definition, Protective Services for Adults is a system of care, which includes the availability of a constellation of services brought to bear individually or in concert upon a problem situation of an adult requiring a planned approach to intervention. As a preventive, supportive and surrogate service, it is aimed at maintaining individuals in the community as long as feasible rather than institutionalizing them, though in some cases the latter may be necessary. More specifically, it can be stated that a protective service system aims at the prevention, reduction or elimination of neglect, exploitation or crisis breakdown through the provision of services appropriate to the individual's needs which will strengthen his capacity function and maximize his ability at self-direction.

Case management/counseling is the core of an effective service program. Local protective services staff must have knowledge and skill to assess and evaluate; to make decisions; to enlist other medical, psychiatric and legal help as necessary in evaluation and treatment; and to coordinate those services which should alleviate the individual's plight. Protective Services for Adults may serve as financial manager of last resort for those protective services clients who have lost their ability to manage their finances and/or resources.

For more information or to make a referral in Erie County:
Adults 60+ Call Erie County Senior Services PSA Intake at (716) 858-6877
Adults 18-59 Call Erie County Social Services PSA Intake at (716) 858-6901

What is Elder Abuse?

Elder abuse (60+) can take many forms. The five common types of elder abuse are:

  1. Physical Abuse - The non-accidental use of force that results in bodily injury, pain or impairment including but not limited to being hit, kicked, slapped, pushed, burned, cut, bruised or physically restrained.
  2. Sexual Abuse - Non-consensual sexual contact of any kind, including but not limited to touching inappropriately, molestation, or forced sexual relations.
  3. Psychological/Emotional Abuse - The willful infliction of mental or emotional anguish by threat, humiliation, intimidation, threatening or other abusive conduct including isolating the adult.
  4. Financial Exploitation - Financial abuse spans a broad spectrum of conduct, including:
    • Taking money or property
    • Forging an older person's signature
    • Getting an older person to sign a deed, will, or power of attorney through deception, coercion, or undue influence
    • Using the older person's property or possessions without permission
    • Promising lifelong care in exchange for money or property and not following through on the promise
    • Confidence crimes ("cons") are the use of deception to gain victims' confidence
    • Scams are fraudulent or deceptive acts
    • Fraud is the use of deception, trickery, false pretence, or dishonest acts or statements for financial gain
    • Telemarketing scams. Perpetrators call victims and use deception, scare tactics, or exaggerated claims to get them to send money.
    • They may also make charges against victims' credit cards without authorization

    Indicators are signs or clues that abuse has occurred. Some of the indicators listed below can be explained by other causes or factors and no single indicator can be taken as conclusive proof. Rather, one should look for patterns or clusters of indicators that suggest a problem.

    • Unpaid bills, eviction notices, or notices to discontinue utilities
    • Withdrawals from bank accounts or transfers between accounts that the older person cannot explain
    • Bank statements and canceled checks no longer come to the elder's home
    • New "best friends"
    • Legal documents, such as powers of attorney, which the older person didn't understand at the time he or she signed them
    • Unusual activity in the older person's bank accounts including large, unexplained withdrawals, frequent transfers between accounts, or ATM withdrawals
    • The care of the elder is not commensurate with the size of his/her estate
    • A caregiver expresses excessive interest in the amount of money being spent on the older person
    • Belongings or property are missing
    • Suspicious signatures on checks or other documents
    • Absence of documentation about financial arrangements
    • Implausible explanations given about the elderly person's finances by the elder or the caregiver
    • The elder is unaware of or does not understand financial arrangements that have been made for him or her

    More helpful information can be found at www.preventelderabuse.org/elderabuse/fin_abuse.html

  5. Neglect - Failure of a responsible relative or other responsible caregiver to meet a dependent older person's basic need for food, shelter or medical care. May either be active neglect or passive neglect.
    • Active neglect: Intentional abandonment or refusal to use available resources to obtain needed care. Often may be due to hoarding of an expected inheritance.
    • Passive neglect: Unintentional failure to meet a care giving responsibility. May be the result of caregiver's own mental or physical impairment, or be due to caregiver stress.
    • Self neglect: The inability due to physical and/or mental impairments to perform tasks essential to caring for oneself, including but not limited to: providing essential food, clothing, shelter and medical care; obtaining goods and services necessary to maintain physical health, emotional well-being and general safety; managing financial affairs.

    Note: Self-neglect accounts for nearly ½ of all elder abuse cases.

Information on Elder Abuse

NYS Office of Child & Family Services (NYSOCFS)
Gives information on training & materials available from NYS Office of Child & Family Services
Web: http://www.ocfs.state.ny.us/main

National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA)
The NCEA web site has a wealth of information on elder abuse & related issues. It gives basic information as well on elder abuse, reporting statistics, new feature publication, clearinghouse on Abuse & Neglect of Elderly (CANE) & bi annual compilation of Adult Protective Services Data. Also included is the NCEA List Serve. The elder abuse list serves like a bulletin board or discussion group that takes place on a computer. The list serve provides practitioners, administrators, health professionals, researchers law enforcement, lawyers, advocates, prosecutors & policy makers who are concerned about elder abuse with a forum for raising questions, discussing issues and sharing information on best practices with each other.
Web: http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/ncearoot/Main_Site/index.aspx

Brookdale Center on Aging of Hunter College
Specialists in training on all aspects of aging related issues including elder abuse. The web site contains information useful to aging professionals and individuals as well.
Web: http://www.brookdale.org - click on the Brookdale Senior Rights report