Recognizing and Reporting Elder Abuse in Placer County
Elder abuse and neglect can be hard to spot and harder to talk about. Here are the signs to watch for, and the real contacts to report concerns to in Placer County.
Signs to watch for
- Financial abuse: unexplained withdrawals, new “friends” showing sudden interest in finances, missing valuables, or unusual changes to a will or power of attorney.
- Physical abuse or neglect: unexplained bruises or injuries, poor hygiene, weight loss, bedsores, or a home that’s unsafe or unsanitary.
- Emotional abuse: a caregiver who speaks to or about the person in a demeaning way, or a person who becomes withdrawn, fearful, or anxious around a particular caregiver.
- Neglect: missed medications, untreated medical conditions, isolation, or a caregiver who seems overwhelmed or unavailable.
Common scams targeting seniors
Financial exploitation often looks like a scam before it looks like abuse. Common patterns: a “grandchild in trouble” calling or texting urgently for money; a romance that develops quickly online and moves to requests for money or gift cards; a fake tech-support pop-up demanding remote computer access; and an unsolicited caller claiming to be from the IRS, Medicare, or a bank, pressuring for immediate payment or account information. The common thread is urgency and secrecy — a legitimate caller won’t pressure someone to act immediately or ask them not to tell family.
Report to Placer County Adult Protective Services
Placer County Adult Protective Services (APS), part of Placer County Health & Human Services’ Adult System of Care, operates a 24-hour reporting line:
- Toll-free: 1-888-886-5401
- Local: (916) 787-8860
For nursing-home or RCFE-specific concerns
CANHR (California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform) is a statewide nonprofit consumer hotline for nursing-home and RCFE-specific concerns: (800) 474-1116, canhr.org.
Related reading
This is general information, not legal advice. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.