Recent years have seen a marked increase in reports of elderly individuals being abused or neglected in Pennsylvania. Data collected by state agencies on deaths of the elderly after an abuse or neglect report show a huge increase between 2017 and 2022 – from 120 deaths in 2017 to almost 1400 in 2022. While there are explanations for some of the numbers, such as data errors by at least one county and an increase in the elderly population, it seems clear that the number of elderly people in Pennsylvania who are at risk of abuse or neglect is increasing. Some state lawmakers are asking the state for an investigation into the increase.
If you are aware of an elderly individual in Adams County, Pennsylvania, whom you suspect is being abused or neglected, or if you are an elderly person suffering from abuse or neglect, the LLF Law Firm's Family Law Team can help. Our experienced attorneys have the background and the knowledge of the resources available to report and stop abuse, as well as the legal measures that can be taken in these difficult cases. Call us today at 888.535.3686 or use our contact form to schedule a confidential consultation with one of our attorneys to learn more about how the LLF Law Firm can help.
The Adams County Office for Aging
The Adams County Office for Aging is a not-for-profit agency funded in part by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging that provides a range of services for elderly people living in Adams County. One of the services the office provides is to receive reports of elder abuse and to investigate them as required by Pennsylvania law. The Adams County Office for Aging maintains phone numbers for the public to use to file elder abuse reports; alternatively, reports can be called into the statewide Protective Services Elder Abuse Helpline.
Elder Abuse Reporting
Elderly individuals can face abuse no matter what their living situation. Elder abuse isn't limited to people who are in nursing homes or other group living situations. An individual can be subject to abuse even in situations where they are living at home and appear to be capable and independent. Abuse isn't limited to physical harm, although, of course, an elderly person can be subject to physical abuse. It can also take the form of mental harassment or abuse.
The Pennsylvania Department of Aging lists a number of signs of potential elder abuse that include, but go beyond, physical abuse. These include:
- Isolation: where the individual is placed in a situation where they are difficult to contact
- Weight loss
- Bruises or broken bones
- Unusual withdrawals from their bank or brokerage account
- Signing over property, including their home, to someone else
- Increased levels of confusion
Of course, not every situation where an elderly person makes a large withdrawal from a bank account is one where the person is being abused. And weight loss or bruises can happen for a number of reasons. But these can also happen in situations where the elderly person is being abused in some way, and if you suspect that an elderly person you know is being abused, reporting your concerns to the Adams County Office for Aging or Pennsylvania's Protective Services Elder Abuse Helpline is one step you can take to try to protect the elderly person you care about from being abused or neglected.
Protection From Abuse Orders
In some cases, your concerns about elder abuse may be more than just suspicions. You may have witnessed the abuse yourself, have video or audio recordings of the abuse, or have other evidence to support a finding that abuse or neglect has been taking place. Depending on your relationship with the elderly individual, you may have other options in addition to reporting the abuse to the Adams County Office for Aging or the Elder Abuse Helpline.
Protection from Abuse orders (also called PFA orders) are court orders that direct an individual to stop having contact with the abused individual. You can only get a PFA order for an elderly person if you have been appointed as their guardian; if that's not the case, then the elderly person may need to be the one who is seeking a PFA against their abuser.
This is not as difficult as it might sound. The LLF Law Firm's Family Law Team understands the laws and procedures that apply when an abused person is seeking a PFA order, and we can work with both the elderly person and any concerned family members or friends to make sure the petition requesting the PFA order is properly filed.
In Adams County, petitions for PFA orders are filed with the Court of Common Pleas in Gettysburg. In situations where the abuse is serious, involving an “immediate and present danger” to the elderly person, it's possible to request that the court issue a temporary PFA order immediately. When that happens, the court will schedule a hearing for a later date on whether to extend the PFA order or make it permanent.
A PFA order can direct the defendant named in the order to do a number of things in addition to stopping the abuse of the elderly person protected by the PFA order. The defendant can be ordered to stay away from the plaintiff, even if the defendant and plaintiff are currently living in the same home. The court has the power under Pennsylvania law to “grant any protection order” that will bring a stop to the abuse of the plaintiff named in the order.
The LLF Law Firm Can Help Protect Against Elder Abuse in Adams County
If you know or suspect that an elderly person living in Adams County is being abused, contact the LLF Law Firm's Family Law Team to learn more about what steps can be taken to bring a stop to the abuse and to protect the person from abuse in the future. Our experienced family law attorneys understand the laws, regulations, and procedures that Pennsylvania has in place to help protect the elderly from abuse. We will help make sure that every step is taken to protect the welfare of the elderly individual, including contacting the appropriate agencies, including law enforcement where necessary, and filing for a PFA order in situations where one is needed.
To learn more about how the LLF Law Firm's Family Law Team can help protect the welfare of elderly individuals in Adams County, call us today at 888.535.3686 or use our contact form to schedule a confidential consultation with one of our experienced attorneys. We are here to listen and to help!
