You can help protect the safety and well-being of our community’s older citizens by looking out for these and other signs - and reporting suspected cases:

• Bruises, black eyes, welts, lacerations, rope marks, fractures
• Untreated injuries in various stages of healing
• An elder’s report of being hit, slapped, kicked, raped or mistreated
• An elder’s sudden change in behavior, including being emotionally upset, agitated or extremely withdrawn
• A caregiver’s refusal to allow visitors to see an elder alone
• Torn, stained or bloody underclothing
• Dehydration, malnutrition, untreated bed sores or poor hygiene
• Hazardous or unsafe living conditions (for example, improper wiring, no heat, no running water, extreme clutter, hoarding, trash, animals, etc.)
• Bills unpaid despite adequate resources
• Improper or inadequate clothing, lack of necessary medical aides, such as eyeglasses, hearing aides, dentures, walker, wheelchair, etc.
• The desertion of an elder at a public location such as a mall, senior citizen center, etc.

Exploitation of Resources
Also be aware of signs of exploitation of an older person’s resources:

• Sudden changes in bank account practices, including unexplained withdrawals of large amounts by a person accompanying an elder
• Abrupt changes in a will or other legal or financial documents
• Unexplained disappearance of funds or other valuable resources or possessions
• Discovery of an elder person’s signature being forged for financial purposes or for the transfer of titles, etc.
• Unexplained sudden transfers of assets to a family member or someone outside the family