S I V N A

Southwestern Illinois Visiting Nurse Association

1-800-HOMECARE

Senior Protective Services

BREAK THE SILENCE!

Elder Abuse is a term referring to any negligent act by a caregiver or any other person that causes harm or a serious risk of harm to a vulnerable adult.  Illinois law defines this abuse, neglect, and/or exploitation of any vulnerable adult.  It is estimated that only one in every ten cases of elder abuse is reported!

How can I break the silence?

Anyone who suspects that someone is mistreating an older person should call Southwestern Illinois Visiting Nurse Association's Case Coordination Unit at 1-800-HOMECARE, or the Illinois Department on Aging's Senior Helpline at 1-866-800-1409.  The after-hours telephone number is 1-800-279-0400.  All reports are kept confidential and anonymous reports are accepted.

Illinois law defines Elder Abuse as:

• Physical Abuse - inflicting physical pain or injury upon an older adult.

• Sexual Abuse - touching, fondling, intercourse, or any other sexual activity with an older adult, when the older adult is unable to understand, unwilling to consent, threatened, or physically forced.

• Emotional Abuse - verbal assaults, threats of abuse, harassment, or intimidation

• Confinement - restraining or isolating an older person, other than for medical reasons

• Passive Neglect - the caregiver's failure to provide an older person with life's necessities, including, but not limited to, food, clothing, shelter, or medical care.

• Willful Deprivation - willfully denying an older person medication, medical care, shelter, food, a therapeutic device, or other physical assistance, and thereby exposing that person to the risk of physical, mental, or emotional harm - except when the older person has expressed intent to forego such care.

• Financial Exploitation - the misuse or withholding of an older person's resources by another, to the disadvantage of the elderly person or the profit or advantage of someone else.