
Elderly and/or Disabled Abuse
Disabled adults are vulnerable to abuse, neglect, and exploitation. County departments of social services receive and evaluate reports to determine whether disabled adults are in need of protective services and what services are needed (as required by Article 6, Chapter 108A of the North Carolina General Statutes).
If you have a concern that an elderly or disabled adult is being exploited, abused or neglected, call your county Department of Social Services office: (Local) Johnston County: 919-989-5300.
Click on the link/s below or call:
NC Adult Protective Services - Report abuse of seniors or adults with disabilities.
Calls are confidential.
Abuse/Neglect Referrals: (919) 989-5300
E-mail:
wendy.whitfield@ncdhhs.gov or E-mail: wendy.whitfield@johnstonnc.com
The new and revised
Adult Protective Services Tools are now available at:
http://www.ncdhhs.gov/aging/adultsvcs/afs_aps_tool.htm
Comprehensive information on nursing home abuse and neglect for nursing home residents and their loved ones.
(click on logo to go to this site, or type in: https://www.nursinghomeabusecenter.org/)
Click this logo to access an extensive,
indexed list of links regarding elder abuse and other topics.


Read the tips below to identify cases of elder abuse:

Breakdown of Cases of Abuse:
Neglect .............................%58.5
Physical ............................%15.7
Financial ............................%12.3
Emotional ...........................%7.3
Sexual ................................%0.04
66% abuse perpetrated by adult children or spouse
42% of murder victims over 60 were killed by their own offspring
24% of murder victims over 60 were killed by their spouses
Identify Situations Involving Elder Abuse
Physical Abuse
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Unexplained sign of injury such as bruises, welts, or scars, especially if they appear simmetrically on two sides of the body.
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Broken bones, sprains, or dislocations
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Report of drug overdose or apparent failure to take medication regularly (a prescription has more remaining that it should)
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Signs of being restrained, such as rope marks on wrists
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Caregiver's refusal to allow you to see the elder alone
Emotional Abuse
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Threatening, belittling, or controlling caregiver behavior that you witness
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Behavior from the elder that mimics dementia, such as rocking, sucking, or mumbling to oneself
Sexual Abuse
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Bruises around breasts or genitals
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Unexplained vaginal or anal bleeding
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Torn, stained, or bloody underclothing
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Unexplained venereal disease or genital infections
Neglect (by Caregivers or self-neglect)
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Unusual weight loss, malnutrition, dehydration
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Untreaded physical problems, such as bed sores
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Unsanitary living conditions: dirt, bugs, soiled bedding and clothes.
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Unsafe living conditions (no heat or running water; faulty electrical wiring, other fire hazards)
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Unsuitable clothing or covering for the weather
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Desertion of the elder at a public place
Financial Abuse
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Significant withdrawals from the elder's accounts
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Sudden changes in the elder's financial condition
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Items or cash missing from the senior's household
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Financial activity the senior couldn't have done, such as an ATM withdrawal when the account holder is bedridden
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Suspicious charges in the wills, power of attorney, titles and policies
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Addition of names to the senior's signature card
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Unpaid bills or lack of medical care, although the elder has enough money to pay for them
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Unnecessary services , goods, or subscriptions
Healthcare Fraud
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Duplicate billings for the same medical service or device
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Evidence of inadequate care when bills are paid in full
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Evidence of overmedication or undermedication
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Problems with the care facility: Poorly trained, poorly paid, or insufficient staff, crowding, inadequate responses to questions about care
SENIORS PARTICULARLY AT RISK FOR BEING VICTIMS OF ELDER ABUSE:
Social isolation and mental impairment
(such as dementia or Alzheimer's disease) are two factors that may make an older person more vulnerable to abuse
Dependence on the abuser
for daily care needs, including meals, mobility, and access to funds and medication. And in some cases the abuser is dependent on the victim for shelter, money, and food.
Living with someone with mental health issue
such as an addiction to drugs or alcohol or who is mentally ill may increase the chances for abuse to occur.
Elder abuse victims may experience shame, fear, embarrassment, anxiety, confusion, withdrawal, and depression.
Source: National Council on Child & Family Violence / Helpguide.org
NursingHomesAbuseBlog.com / StatisticBrain.com/ NYC.gov
