It can be difficult to face a situation where a vulnerable family member or friend is suffering abuse or being taken advantage of. If you are in a conservatorship agreement, there are many things that you can do to help a protected person and report the situation to the proper resources.
Here are important tips about adult abuse situations.
Do not Ignore the Situation
Whether you suspect the abuse is coming from a caretaker, family member or even a close friend, do not ignore the situation.
Look for the warning signs of abuse and trust your instincts. If you believe some type of abuse is taking place, whether physical or mental, or financial do not ignore the situation and hope it goes away.
Notify the Authorities
Alerting the police, adult protection, the social security administration or the veterans administration could help catch the perpetrator. These situations tend to be very volatile, so to avoid further inflaming the situation, you should not confront the person you suspect is committing the abuse. Especially if you believe that someone is in immediate danger, contact the police right away, give them the names and locations of the protected person and suspected abuser and let the authorities handle the intervention.
If you suspect a family member or friend is being abused at an assisted living facility, do not simply report the abuse to management and then expect the situation to resolve itself. You can (and should) report the situation to the company, but that alone is not enough to resolve the situation properly.
The Right Steps to Take
If no immediate danger is perceived, or if you suspect some type of abuse is ongoing or has occurred in the past, there are several places that you can contact:
- The Administration of Aging (AoA): this is the principal agency of the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) designated to carry out the provisions of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (OAA)
- The Social Security Administration (SSA): if they are an agency involved in your conservatorship
- The Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA): if they are an agency involved in your conservatorship
- The court
- Your personal attorney or the court-appointed attorney
- Adult protection
- The police department
Conservatorship Bond Information
To learn more about how to become a conservator and the bonds that are required, contact an agent at the Patrick J. Thomas Agency today.
Disclaimer: this is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal advice. If you need legal counsel, please contact an attorney directly.