The reports are handled confidentially with the objective of helping not only the abused but also the abuser. If you know the address and ZIP code of the older person being abused, Eldercare Locator can refer you to the appropriate agency in the area to report the suspected abuse. The State of Illinois has an information and referral line that can be helpful in locating services for victims or potential perpetrators of elder abuse and neglect. Each state attorney general's office is required by federal law to have an MFCU that investigates and prosecutes Medicaid provider fraud and patient abuse and neglect in health care programs and home health services that participate in Medicaid. In many states, Adult Protective Services is designated to receive and investigate allegations of elder abuse and neglect.
Every state has some agency that holds that responsibility.
It may be the Area Agency on Aging, the Division of Aging, the Department of Aging, or the Department of Social Services. The hotline provides support counseling for victims of domestic violence and provides links to 2,500 local support services for abused women. The hotline operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year. This site is very useful in understanding the elder abuse problem, including info on how to detect elder abuse, and a national rating index for nursing homes. It comes complete with links to actual court cases involving elder abuse.