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Elder Abuse
More than 200,000 older and dependent adult abuse cases are reported in California each year, and it’s believed that abuse of older adults is significantly under reported.
Blanca Castro, the state’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman, shared ways to spot elder abuse and how you can advocate for loved ones. Types of abuse include self-neglect, neglect by others, physical abuse, sexual abuse, mental abuse, financial abuse, and abandonment.
Castro explained how to determine whether your loved one might be a victim of abuse. “Use all five senses,” she said. “Look around their room, smell them. Are they acting normal? Is any behavior out of the norm? These are all signs that something could be happening.”
If something seems off, Castro urges family members to ask for a doctor’s assessment. “It is crucial to make sure that they [those in long-term care facilities] are okay and taken care of, and know that you have a right to ensure that they are safe.”
is on the rise in California.
Elder Abuse
All residents in long-term care facilities across the state are entitled to rights and protections. Residents and their families need to know what these are in order to advocate for themselves or their loved ones.
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Protecting residents: Know your rights
The right to know changes of care.
The right to spend time in the way you want.
The right to visitors.
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Neglect
How to Spot it and how you can help
The California Department of Public Health lists the rights of long-term care residents and the rights of their families on their website (www.cdph.ca.gov). For residents, these rights include the right to know of changes to their care, the right to spend time in the way that they want to, and the right to visitors.
How to advocate
Through ombudsman, family members and residents can advocate for their rights and ensure that they are treated fairly. Family members have the right to speak up for their loved ones if they cannot communicate for themselves.
If you or a loved one has been a victim of elder abuse, there are excellent resources and opportunities available through the Department of Social Services (www.cdss.ca.gov), the Department of Health (www.cdph.ca.gov), and the Department of Aging (www.aging.ca.gov), to help you seek justice.
Identity Theft
25%
What Does Fraud Look Like?
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Credit Bureaus, Information Furnishers & Report Users
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7%
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Call 1-800-231-4024, for individuals living in a long-term care facility, to reach the Long Term Care Ombudsman CRISIS Line.
Call 1-833-401-0832, for individuals living at home, to talk to Adult Protective Services.
To protect older adults from abuse and neglect:
Local Long-Term Care Ombudsman programs are always recruiting volunteers. If you want to get involved in the ombudsman program or know someone who does, contact us at stateomb@aging.ca.gov.
Volunteer opportunities
Unusual financial activity.
New ‘friends’ or helpers.
Mobility or frailty issues.
Cognitive decline or loss of financial acumen.
Know your rights
Signs of elder financial abuse