Preventing Elder Abuse In Texas

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (”DFPS”) states in a DFPS website posting at http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/about/news/2009/2009-05-01_elder_abuse.asp that no one knows exactly how many older Americans are being abused, neglected, or exploited, but national studies estimate that 3-5 million seniors age 65 and older have experienced abuse.  However, only one in five abuse cases is reported.  In 2008, the Adult Protective Services program of the Texas DFPS completed 68,683 investigations of abuse, neglect, or exploitation involving adults living at home, and of those, the DFPS states that 48,380 cases were confirmed as abuse.  According to the posting, the majority of the cases involve physical or medical neglect, and, often, it was family members, such as adult children, spouses or grandchildren who were the perpetrators.  The DFPS recommended visiting the following website for more information on preventing elder abuse: www.everyonesbusiness.org .  Unfortunately, elder abuse and neglect appears to be on the rise.  In the last decade, the number of in-home cases investigated by APS reportedly more than doubled. 

To report elder abuse to DFPS, one can call the Texas Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400 or make an online report at www.txabusehotline.org .