Adult Protective Services
Adult Protective Services in Decatur, IL is now also serving McLean and Livingston Counties
This statewide program was established to respond to reports of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of seniors and the disabled and to work with the older victims in resolving abusive situations. Services are available to those ages 60 and older and people 18-59 with a disability who live in the community. The State Long Term Ombudsman Program responds to many types of complaints from nursing home residents, including reports of abuse and neglect. The agency responsible for investigating allegations of abuse or neglect in long term care facilities is the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Mandated reporters include a range of professionals in the medical, social service, law enforcement, and eldercare fields. Reporters of elder abuse
are provided by law with immunity from criminal or civil liability and professional disciplinary action.
7 Forms of Abuse:
- Confinement—restraining or isolating an older person for other than medical reasons
- Emotional Abuse—verbal assaults, threats of abuse, harassment, or intimidation
- Financial Exploitation—misuse or withholding of an elder person's resources to the disadvantage of the elderly person and/or the profit or advantage of another person
- Passive Neglect—failure by caregiver to provide older person with necessities of life such as food, clothing, shelter, or medical care due to failure to understand older person's needs, lack of awareness, or lack of capacity to care for older person
- Physical Abuse—infliction of physical pain or injury
- Sexual Abuse—touching, fondling, or any sexual activity when the elderly individual is unable to understand, unwilling to consent, threatened, or physically forced
- Willful Deprivation—willfully denying assistance to older person who requires medication, medical care, shelter, food, therapeutic devices, or other physical assistance
Adult Protective Services
Symptoms of an Abuser:
Do You Suspect Abuse?
If you suspect abuse, you can call the IDOA hotline at 800-252-8966 from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday (voice and T.D.D.), or CHELP at 217-422-9888 or toll free at 1-888-243-5701 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also visit our Contact page to get more information about getting in touch with CHELP.