As you get older and require more care in your senior years, you hope to find family members and caregivers you can trust to look after your needs and provide the support you seek. But elderly people are among the most vulnerable to abuse and often struggle to protect themselves from neglect, exploitation, and deprivation.
In Mercer County and across New Jersey, elder abuse has been on the rise in recent years, both in nursing facilities and at home. In addition to the growth of the aging population nationwide, this increase is also part of the collateral damage following the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic led to more isolation among older adults and has put immense strain on caregivers and long-term care facilities. Compounding these problems in New Jersey, the state's laws are often ineffective in protecting the elderly. In fact, studies indicate that New Jersey is ranked as one of the worst states nationwide for elder abuse protections.
If you or someone you love is facing elder abuse, you need to take immediate steps to ensure protection. The Family Law Team at the Lento Law Firm is here to help. We can guide you through the proper steps to protect yourself or your loved ones from continued abuse. Contact us at 888-535-3686 or via our confidential online form to get started.
How Do You Report Elder Abuse in Mercer County?
In New Jersey, Adult Protective Services (APS) is the official program charged with protecting elderly adults from abuse and investigating reports of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Locally, the Mercer County Board of Social Services (MCBOSS) is the county's APS-designated agency for receiving reports and investigating possible abuse.
You can report suspicions of elder abuse in Mercer County directly to MCBOSS by calling or visiting the office at 200 Woolverton Street in Trenton. Alternately, you can call the Mercer County Area Agency on Aging or the New Jersey Department of Human Services' Division of Aging Services. Of course, if there is immediate danger, contact your local police department for help.
For those living in long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes or assisted-living facilities, you can report neglect or abuse to New Jersey's Long-Term Care Ombudsman or the New Jersey Department of Health Complaint Hotline. The Long-Term Care Ombudsman is responsible for protecting those in long-term care facilities and investigating any allegations of abuse or neglect.
What Happens When You Report Abuse?
APS encourages reporting of multiple types of mistreatment. Of course, bruises and other physical injuries are the clearest signs of possible abuse. But other forms of abuse likely won't have visual indications. Sexual and mental abuse also fall under the category of reportable mistreatment. Another significant form of abuse is neglect, or when a caregiver fails to provide the necessary care, including food, medicine, or personal care such as bathing. Elderly adults are also highly vulnerable to financial exploitation, which can include anything from stolen property to identity theft, especially when a caregiver has access to a person's personal information, such as bank statements, social security number, or legal documents. The risk of financial exploitation increases.
Once you've filed a report of abuse, MCBOSS will assign an APS social worker to investigate the allegations. The social worker will have an in-person meeting with the elder adult in question and interview others who may have information on the situation, including family members, caregivers, and facility staff.
Once the social worker has collected all the available information, they'll report back to APS, and the agency will determine whether the person has faced abuse, neglect, or exploitation. APS will then try to remedy the situation by involving the elder adult in decision-making as much as possible, as well as working with any family members who may be able to help resolve the issue. If the social worker has determined that the elderly individual isn't able to make decisions for themselves, APS may seek a court order to require the person to change facilities or caregivers.
What Should You Do If You Need a Restraining Order?
In severe cases of elder abuse, you may want to get a restraining order to protect an elderly adult. A restraining order prevents a specific person who poses a threat from contacting or coming near the elderly individual. In some situations, a caregiver may want a restraining order against a family member or other person who's responsible for the abuse.
In an emergency situation of imminent danger, you may be able to get a restraining order on an emergency basis. This will prevent contact until the court can hold a hearing where both sides, including the person facing the restraining order, can present their arguments. A restraining order is a binding legal document, and a person who violates one is subject to criminal charges.
If you need to get a restraining order, you should immediately contact the Lento Law Firm's Family Law Team. We understand New Jersey's process to file for and obtain a restraining order, and we'll act quickly and efficiently to protect you or your loved one.
The Lento Law Firm Is on Your Side
If you or someone you love is suffering from elder abuse or neglect, you need to do everything you can to stop it as soon as possible. Protecting this vulnerable population, who so often aren't able to protect themselves, requires an experienced legal team that understands the urgency and sensitivity of elder abuse cases.
The Family Law Team at the Lento Law Firm knows the best steps to take to ensure that the New Jersey state government gets involved and protects those at risk. We understand the state-specific policies and procedures for protecting elderly adults from abuse and neglect. We know which agencies to contact for each situation, and we can help you gather evidence to support your allegations of abuse. We can also help you get a restraining order when you need to secure immediate protection.
Call the Lento Family Law Team today at 888.535.3686 or use our contact form to schedule a confidential consultation. The dangers of elder abuse are too real to delay taking action.
