Recognizing and Reporting Elder Abuse
Learn to recognize and report elder abuse during your Papa visits. Your vigilance can protect older adults from harm.
Sadly, many older adults experience some form of elder abuse. This guide will help you recognize elder abuse and understand what you can do if you suspect or observe it on your Papa visits.
What is Elder Abuse?
Elder abuse is the intentional harm or neglect of an older adult, often by family members, caregivers, or institutions. It can include physical, emotional, or financial harm.
Signs of Elder Abuse
Be on the lookout for some of these common signs:
- Changes in a member’s mood or mental health
- Changes in a member’s behavior or physical appearance like unexplained injuries or poor hygiene
- Poor living conditions that may pose safety or other risks
- Indications that a member’s basic needs aren’t being met, such as lack of adequate food
How You Can Help
If you observe or suspect elder abuse during your visit, please take the following actions:
- If the older adult is in immediate danger, call 911 to request help.
- Make notes of your observations, including dates, times, and any other specific details. This documentation will come in handy when you report your concerns.
- Report your observations and concerns at the end of your visit by using the visit feedback section in the Papa Pal app. Provide all the details of what you have observed or witnessed.
NOTE: It’s important to respect the member's privacy when reporting your concerns. Aside from Papa, do not discuss any of the member's personal information with other individuals.
As a Papa Pal, you are in a unique position to help protect our older members. You should never engage in any behavior where you would be mistreating the member. If you do, you will be permanently removed from the platform.
Thank you for helping us ensure that our members are safe and are receiving the necessary care.