DEALING WITH PROBLEM ADULTS - LEGAL RIGHTS

The next thing to be aware of when dealing with problem adults are the issues of adult and elder abuse. As stated by the New York State Office of Children & Family Services:

"Abuse is a problem we all seem to be aware of when it comes to children, the use of dangerous substances, or the ways in which decisions made can lead to suffering, pain, and loss for ourselves or those around us.

But what about Adult & Elder Abuse?

When we talk about adult and elder abuse, we're talking about family. Your family, my family, the family next door, the family across town. Someone you know might be suffering from physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. The kindly neighbor next door who trims your hedges might be a victim of financial exploitation by a family member, caretaker, or other close associate.

One out of every 14 Americans over the age of 60 may be suffering from some sort of abuse. And for each case of elder abuse reported, five more cases go unreported. It's hard to imagine that those who have protected and cared for us for all these years may now need our care and protection, but it's true.

New York State's Protective Services for Adults program, provided through local county departments of social services, has been created by law to aid in the protection of impaired adults over the age of 18 who may be falling victim to abuse.

We are here to aid and protect, but it all begins with you. Protective Services for Adults can do nothing to help if they are not notified......

PSA clients are among the most debilitated and neglected members of the community: the frail elderly, the mentally ill, the mentally retarded and the abused and exploited. These persons are often not known to any agency or have refused services and are isolated from family and friends. The need to provide help for these individuals will continue to grow as our population ages and family ties become strained by distance and the burden of chronic illness."