According to the Administration of Aging (AOA), hundreds of thousands of elderly Americans are abused, exploited or neglected each year.

Elder abuse can take many forms, including:

• Physical abuse, defined as intentional infliction of injury or pain. This may include hitting, shoving, using drugs to harm a senior or using restraints.
• Emotional abuse, including yelling, humiliation, threats, isolation and ignoring seniors.
• Sexual abuse, which involves sexual contact without the senior’s consent.
• Neglect, including dehydration, malnourishment, and the intentional or nonintentional failure to fulfill the obligation to care for a senior.
• Financial exploitation, or using a senior’s monetary funds or other assets without his or her authorization.

Unfortunately, elder abuse often goes unreported for a variety of reasons. For example, abuse may go unnoticed if family members do not visit their elderly loved ones enough. If they are aware of abuse or neglect, victims and their families may not know where to turn to report abuse.

Who to Report Nursing Home Abuse To

Fortunately, there are a variety of ways to report elder abuse. If you believe the abuse is life-threatening, you should immediately call 911. Otherwise, report what happened to medical professionals and staff members at the nursing home.

If you are unable to resolve the issue, you can contact Connecticut’s Protective Services for the Elderly (PSE) Program by calling 1-888-385-4225.

The PSE program is part of Connecticut’s Department of Social Services (DSS) and it includes law enforcement, the court system, and health and human services workers. The PSE program is responsible for investigating reports of abuse, neglect and exploitation of senior citizens.

When you contact the PSE program, DSS social workers will devise a plan to ensure your loved one’s safety while maintaining his or her right of self-determination.

After reporting any abuse to the correct authorities and making sure your loved one is safe, you should contact an experienced attorney who can help further ensure his or her rights are protected.

Your loved one may be entitled to compensation for pain and suffering, medical expenses, and more. Our nursing home negligence lawyers can help make sure they receive all that they are entitled.