Below are some things that might be included in your report to Adult Protective Services or law enforcement. You should still file a report even if you do not have some of this information. You are not expected to have clear proof of abuse before reporting. Your job is simply to share your own observations, which allows an investigator to step in and help.
Information to include in a report:
- Time, date, and location of any incidents;
- Names of anyone who was involved and anyone who observed the incident;
- Description of the suspected financial abuse and signs of any other type of abuse or neglect;
- Your loved one’s disabilities or health conditions, if you know, including any information about problems with decision-making or memory loss; and
- Whether you believe there is an urgent risk of danger to your loved one or someone else.
If your loved one has a social worker, elder patient advocate, or someone in a similar role, consider contacting them to ask what they can do to help.
You can also report the financial abuse directly to the patient care coordinator or administrator of the assisted living community or nursing home. Ask which staff person is responsible for receiving and investigating reports of abuse and contact that person. You can also ask to speak with the administrator.
Ask what the administrator can do to help.
Following up can make a difference. If you are not satisfied with Adult Protective Services or law enforcement’s response to your report, you can ask whether providing more information would help with their investigation. You can ask to talk about the case with a supervisor. Take notes each time you speak with the agency, including the name of each person you talk to and the dates and times of your conversations. The National Adult Protective Services Association has more information about different steps that may happen after you report suspected abuse at https://www.napsa-now.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/What-APS-Reporters-Need-to-Know.pdf.