What role do adult protective service workers play in elder abuse prevention?
In most communities, it is adult protective service workers who are charged with investigating reports of abuse and neglect. From their first contacts with victims, APS workers make critical decisions about clients’ levels of risk and appropriate interventions. Specifically, they: • Assess clients’ level of risk and danger • Take immediate action to protect victims’ safety and property • Collect evidence and testimony to substantiate abuse • Assess clients’ need for services to reduce their risk and vulnerability • Provide crisis intervention to alleviate clients’ emotional distress and meet their immediate needs • Provide or arrange for needed medical, legal, financial, or social services • Serve as advocates to ensure that clients’ service needs are met and their rights are respected • Provide testimony in legal proceedings What can adult protective service workers do to enhance their skills and improve their communities’ response to elder abuse? • Learn more about the extent of the
