Each year, an estimated 5 million older adults are abused, neglected, or exploited. Older Americans lose an estimated $2.6 billion or more annually due to elder financial abuse and exploitation, funds that could be used to pay for basic needs such as housing, food, and medical care.

Types of Elder Abuse:

• Financial abuse, the misuse of one’s funds or credit cards, the forgery of documents and/or schemes that target elderly individuals with the intention of fraudulent activity;
• Neglect, the failure to provide a dependent senior with clothing, a clean environment, food, proper medical services, and/or shelter;
• Self-Neglect, not taking care of one’s basic needs, home is in disarray, lack of personal hygiene.
• Emotional, the use of humiliation or threats towards the elderly often resulting in unexplained withdrawal from normal activities, sudden change in alertness, mental health issues and strained personal relationships;
• Physical,the infliction of abuse that causes bodily injury, pain, or impairment;
• Sexual,non-consensual sexual contact of any kind with an elderly person; and
• Abandonment, desertion of an elderly person by an individual who has physical custody of the elder or by a person who has assumed responsibility for providing care to the elder.

If you are concerned about something you have noticed, please tell someone by contacting one of the following agencies which are available Monday through Friday 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.:

Ulster County Adult Protective Services: 845- 334-5125

Ulster County’s Office for the Aging: 845-340-3456

Hudson Valley Long-Term Care Ombudsman Services: 845-229-4680 (for those residing in Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living)

Hudson Valley LGTBQ Community Center: 845-331-5300

If you see a senior in imminent jeopardy or danger, please do not hesitate to call 911.