Fairfax County Department of Family
Services
12011 Government Center Parkway
Fairfax, VA 22035
For more information, contact: Belinda Buescher, 703-324-7758,
TTY 703-222-9452
New Virginia Law Strengthens Efforts
to Prevent Abuse and Neglect of Elderly and Disabled
For Immediate Release – May 19, 2004
The Adult Protective Services Act of 2004, recently passed by the Virginia General Assembly, strengthens current law protecting elderly and disabled Virginians from abuse and neglect.
The new law expands the list of those who are legally required to report suspected cases of abuse or neglect of the elderly or disabled. On July 1, 2004, when the new law takes effect, the list of "mandated reporters" will include dentists, pharmacists, certified emergency medical services personnel, guardians and conservators - as well as those (doctors, nurses, mental health professionals, social workers, and law enforcement officers) who are already legally required to report suspected abuse.
All persons licensed, certified, or registered by health regulatory boards (except for the Board of Veterinary Medicine) become "mandated reporters" under this new law. Newly mandated reporters will be trained in how to recognize the signs of abuse and neglect.
Nationwide an estimated two million elderly adults are victims of abuse or neglect. Sexual assault, financial, verbal and physical abuses are just some of the types of mistreatment faced by elderly individuals.
In 2003, Fairfax County's Adult Protective Services investigated 648 reports of alleged incidents of abuse, neglect or exploitation of elderly or disabled adults. Of the 648 reports investigated, 359 (55%) were found to require protective services. Of those, 13% were abuse cases, 80% were neglect cases (including self-neglect), and 7% were cases of exploitation.
Anyone with a concern - not just mandated reporters - can and should report suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Indications that an elderly person or an incapacitated adult is not able to care for himself or herself and has no family or friends who are helping can also be reported to Adult Protective Services.
Some common indicators of neglect may include: extremely cluttered house, poor hygiene, and lack of medicine or essential medical care. Abuse includes sexual assault, confinement, verbal, mental, and physical abuse. Some obvious signs of abuse are scratches, cuts, bruises, burns, and broken bones. Some examples of exploitation are taking the elderly person or incapacitated adult's Social Security checks and taking advantage of a joint checking account.
Statewide, more than 12,000 cases of suspected elder abuse were investigated by social services. Yet even this number is thought to be just a fraction of the abuse that occurs but goes unreported.
Barbara Hobbie and Mori Yowell, supervisors for Fairfax County's Adult Protective Services, encourage reporting to Adult Protective Services.
"Adult Protective Services social workers provide consultation to people who are not sure if a situation involves abuse, neglect, or exploitation," says Hobbie.
"We recognize that people are not sure about reporting, and we want to assure them that reports are kept confidential, and that we are respectful of the rights of the elderly person or the incapacitated adult," Yowell adds.
In Fairfax County, to report a suspected incident of neglect, abuse
or exploitation of an adult, contact:
Adult Protective Services – Department of Family Services
703-324-7450 (TTY 703-222-9452).
A 24-hour, toll-free hotline is also available at: 888-832-3858.
For more information about Adult Protective Services in Fairfax
County, visit the county's Web site at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/factsheets/aps.htm
To learn more about Virginia's new Adult Protective Services Act, visit the Virginia Department of Social Services' Web site at www.dss.state.va.us/printer/news/2004/elder_abuse.html