Elder Mistreatment in Acute Care Settings › Taking Action

Taking action when you suspect elder mistreatment

Healthcare providers may attribute the medical consequences of elder mistreatment to aging or disease. The type of mistreatment they most often report is physical abuse; reporting of other mistreatment is much less common. Some providers think reporting might do more harm than good since they can't fix things; they may fear that patients and their families will turn on them if they report their suspicions. Providers often don't have the time or the training to deal with problem or to counsel the mistreated or the perpetrator. Reporting to the proper authorities through the appropriate channels remains the best way to stop elder mistreatment.

If screening indicates that elder mistreatment may have occurred, it is important to protect the older adult from further mistreatment and to know what is required by the law of the state in which you practice and the policies and protocols of the institution in which you work.