Many older people who live at home are at risk of abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation by family members and others close to them. It is estimated that over 76,000 persons over the age of sixty in Illinois are elder abuse victims; yet, only 8,000 elderly victims are reported to the Elder Abuse and Neglect Program annually.

The abused are often too afraid, too ashamed, too depressed, too confused, or too weak speak up for themselves. Their lives may depend on you speaking up for them. In many cases, the only person outside the family who sees the victim is a health care professional, home care provider, financial institution, or other helping professional. Therefore, it is critical that individuals know how to report cases of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation for investigation and services.

Senior Services Associates investigates allegations of physical and emotional abuse, financial exploitation, confinement, sexual abuse, passive neglect, and willful deprivation. As the Elder Abuse Provider Agency contracted through the Northeastern Illinois Area Agency on Aging, our certified case manager investigators are here to represent and protect seniors while working with local authorities to eliminate the abusive situation and sustain the senior's quality of life.

If you suspect or witness that anyone - you, a relative, a friend, a neighbor or a coworker - is being abused, exploited or neglected we urge you to call:

• 911 immediately if the person is in imminent danger
• Aurora / Kane County: (630) 897-4035
• Elgin / Kane County: (847) 741-0404 or (800) 339-3200
• Yorkville / Kendall County: (630) 553-5777
• Crystal Lake / McHenry County: (815) 356-7457
• McHenry / McHenry County: (815) 344-3555
• Statewide, 24-hour Elder Abuse Hotline Toll-free 24/7: (866) 800-1409 or (888) 206-1327 (TTY

What is Considered Elder Abuse? Reporting Elder Abuse Who Are Mandated Reporters of Elder Abuse?

What is Considered Elder Abuse?

The Elder Abuse and Neglect Program responds to the following types of abuse:

• Physical abuse:

  Inflicting physical pain or injury upon an older adult.

• Sexual abuse:

  Touching, fondling, intercourse, or any other sexual activity with an older adult, when the older person is unable to understand, unwilling to consent, threatened or physically forced.

• Emotional abuse:

  Verbal assaults, threats of abuse, harassment or intimidation.

• Confinement:

  Restraining or isolating an older person, other than for medical reasons.

• Passive Neglect:

  The caregiver's failure to provide an older person with life's necessities, including, but not limited to, food, clothing, shelter or medical care.

• Willful Deprivation:

  Willfully denying an older person medication, medical care, shelter, food, a therapeutic device or other physical assistance, and thereby exposing that person to the risk of physical, mental or emotional harm - except when the older person has expressed an intent to forego such care.

• Financial Exploitation:

  The misuse or withholding of an older person's resources by another, to the disadvantage of the elderly person and/or the profit or advantage of someone else.

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Reporting Elder Abuse

To report suspected abuse, exploitation or neglect of an older person, call the statewide, 24-hour Elder Abuse Hotline: (866) 800-1409 or (888) 206-1327 (TTY) Callers should be prepared to report the alleged victim's name and address, what happened, where and when it happened, and who the suspected abuser might be. While reporting is voluntary for most individuals, certain professionals are mandated to report their concerns of elder abuse, neglect or financial exploitation.

The Elder Abuse and Neglect Act (Chapter 320 ILCS 20/1 et seq.) provides that people - who in good faith report suspected abuse or cooperate with an investigation -- shall be immune from criminal or civil liability or professional disciplinary action. It further provides that the identity of the reporter shall not be disclosed except with the written permission of the reporter or by order of a court. Anonymous reports are also accepted.

The Illinois Elder Abuse and Neglect Act directs the Illinois Department on Aging to establish an intervention program to respond to reports of alleged elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation of older persons living in the community and to work with the older person in resolving the abusive situation. The program provides services to people over the age of sixty who may be victims of abuse as described above.

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Who Are Mandated Reporters of Elder Abuse?

The following persons, while engaged in carrying out their professional duties are mandated reporters:

A professional or professional's delegate while engaged in social services, law enforcement., education, the care of an eligible adult or eligible adults, or any of the occupations required to be licensed under the Clinical Psychologist Licensing Act, the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act, the Illinois Dental Practice Act, the Dietetic and Nutrition Services Practice Act, the Marriage and Family Therapy Licensing Act, the Medical Practice Act of 1987, the Naprapathic Practice Act, the Illinois Nursing Act of 1987, the Nursing Home Administrators Licensing and Disciplinary Act, the Illinois Occupational Therapy Practice Act, the Optometric Practice Act of 1987, the Pharmacy Practice Act, the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 198777, the Podiatric Medical Practice Act of 1987, the Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing Act, the Illinois Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Practice Act, the Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Practice Act of 1994, the Illinois Public Accounting Act, an employee of a vocational rehabilitation facility prescribed to supervised by the Dept. of Human Services, an administrator, employee, or person providing services in or through an unlicensed community based facility, a Christian Science Practitioner, field personnel of the Dept. of Public Aid, Dept. of Public Health, Dept. of Human Services, and any county or municipal health department, personnel of the Dept. of Human Services, the Guardianship and Advocacy Commission, the State Fire Marshal, local fire departments, including paramedics and EMTs, the Dept. on Aging and its subsidiary Area Agencies on Aging and provider agencies, and the Office of State Long Term Care Ombudsman, any employee of the State of Illinois not otherwise specified herein who is involved in providing services to eligible adults, including professionals providing medical or rehabilitation services and all other persons having direct contact with eligible adults; or a person who performs the duties of a coroner or medical examiner.