Report Elder Abuse

Reporting Elder Abuse
Neglect and exploitation are behaviors committed against an elder or vulnerable adult who is unable to protect himself or herself due to a mental or physical impairment or due to advanced age.

  • Abuse is harm or threatened harm to an adult’s health or welfare caused by another person.  
  • Neglect is the inability or failure of the adult, or an individual responsible for the care of the elder or vulnerable adult, to provide adequate food, shelter, clothing, medical care, etc.  
  • Exploitation is the misuse of an adult’s funds, property or personal dignity by another person.

The perpetrators are often trusted family, friends, neighbors, or caregivers. This can occur in the person’s home, in the home of another person, or in licensed settings such as adult foster care, homes for the aged, or nursing homes.

If you suspect elder or vulnerable adult abuse, neglect or exploitation has occurred in

  • A private residence,
  • An unlicensed setting such as an assisted living facility,
  • An adult foster care home,
  • A home for the aged, or
  • A nursing home where the suspected perpetrator is not an employee of the facility or the resident is on leave from the nursing home,

Notify the Department of Human Services (DHS), Adult Protective Services: http://www.michigan.gov/dhs, or call the Statewide 24-Hour Hotline: 1-855-444-3911