Adult Protective Services (APS) responds to reports from individuals, concerned citizens, social service and health providers, and law enforcement representatives about developmentally disabled adults, physically and mentally disabled adults, and the elderly who may be physically or financially abused, neglected, or exploited.
Anyone aged 18 to 64 with a mental or physical disability or anyone aged 65 or older that is suspected of being abused or neglected, is eligible for APS without regard to income.

Physical abuse includes:

• Inadequately explained fractures, bruises, welts, cuts, sores and burns
• Pressure or “bed sores” (decubitis ulcers)
• Medications used to restrain victims.

Neglect (by self or others) includes:

• Lack of basic body or personal hygiene
• Lack of adequate food or water
• Lack of medical aids (glasses, walker, wheel chair, hearing aid, dentures or medications)
• Lack of clean, appropriate clothing or linens
• Demented victim left alone and unsupervised
• Bed-bound victims left without proper care
• Home cluttered, filthy, in a state or disrepair, or having health, fire and safety hazards;
• Home lacking minimum equipment and facilities (stove, refrigerator, heat, cooling, working plumbing and electricity)
• Animal hoarding.

Financial abuse includes:

• A lack of amenities that the victim could afford
• Victim “voluntarily” giving inappropriate financial reimbursement for needed care and companionship
• Caretaker has control of victim’s money but is failing to provide for victim’s needs
• Caretaker using victim’s financial resources for their own needs
• Victim has signed property transfers, Power of Attorney, new will, etc., when unable to comprehend the transaction.

Psychological abuse includes:

• Caretaker isolates victim by restricting visits and phone calls (doesn’t want to let you into home or speak to victim)
• Caretaker is violent, aggressive, controlling, addicted, or uncaring.