Broadly defined, abuse may be:

• Physical Abuse—inflicting physical pain or injury on a senior, e.g. slapping, bruising, or restraining by physical or chemical means.
• Sexual Abuse—non-consensual sexual contact of any kind.
• Neglect—the failure by those responsible to provide food, shelter, health care, or protection for a vulnerable elder.
• Exploitation—the illegal taking, misuse, or concealment of funds, property, or assets of a senior for someone else’s benefit.
• Emotional Abuse—inflicting mental pain, anguish, or distress on an elderly person through verbal or nonverbal acts, e.g. humiliating, intimidating, or threatening.
• Abandonment—desertion of a vulnerable elder by anyone who has assumed the responsibility for care or custody of that person.
• Self-neglect—characterized as the failure of a person to perform essential, self-care tasks and that such failure threatens his/her own health or safety.

In most cases, the perpetrators are people the victim knows and trusted. Family members are the most common offenders, including adult children, spouses or significant others, grandchildren, other relatives, acquaintances, and paid caregivers.

Anyone with reason to believe that a vulnerable adult age 60 or older has suffered abuse, neglect, or exploitation may file a report with his or her county department of job and family services. During non-business hours, contact local law enforcement.

If you need to make a report, provide as much of the following information as possible:

• Name, address and approximate age of the person.
• Name and address of the person responsible for the person’s care
• The name and address of the alleged perpetrator, if different from the caretaker.
• The reason you suspect abuse, neglect or exploitation
• The nature and extent of the suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation.
• Any other known information. 

• Bruises, black eyes, welts, lacerations, cuts, punctures or rope marks.
• Untreated injuries in various stages of healing.
• Sudden changes in behavior, such as becoming upset or agitated for no visible reason.
• Becoming suddenly withdraw, non-communicative or nonresponsive.
• Caregiver refuses to allow visitors to see the adult alone

1. Hazardous or unsafe living conditions or arrangements, such as improper wiring or a lack of heat or running water.
2. Unsanitary or unclean living conditions, including excessive dirt, fleas, lice, soiled bedding, fecal or urine smell, or inadequate clothing.
3. Dehydration, malnutrition, untreated bed sores or poor personal hygiene.
4. Unattended or untreated health problems

• The sudden appearance of previously uninvolved relatives who claim rights to the vulnerable adult’s affairs and possessions.
• Unexplained, sudden transfer of assets to a family member or someone outside the family.
• Forgery of an elderly person’s signature for financial transactions or for the titles of his or her possessions.
• Unexplained disappearance of funds or valuable possessions

Per Ohio Revised Code:

(a) An attorney admitted to the practice of law in this state;

(b) An individual authorized under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code to practice medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or podiatric medicine and surgery;

(c) An individual licensed under Chapter 4734. of the Revised Code as a chiropractor;

(d) An individual licensed under Chapter 4715. of the Revised Code as a dentist;

(e) An individual licensed under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code as a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse;

(f) An individual licensed under Chapter 4732. of the Revised Code as a psychologist;

(g) An individual licensed under Chapter 4757. of the Revised Code as a social worker, independent social worker, professional counselor, professional clinical counselor, marriage and family therapist, or independent marriage and family therapist;

(h) An individual licensed under Chapter 4729. of the Revised Code as a pharmacist;

(i) An individual holding a certificate to practice as a dialysis technician issued under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code;

(j) An employee of a home health agency, as defined in section 3701.881 of the Revised Code;

(k) An employee of an outpatient health facility;

(l) An employee of a hospital, as defined in section 3727.01 of the Revised Code;

(m) An employee of a hospital or public hospital, as defined in section 5122.01 of the Revised Code;

(n) An employee of a nursing home or residential care facility, as defined in section 3721.01 of the Revised Code;

(o) An employee of a residential facility licensed under section 5119.22 of the Revised Code that provides accommodations, supervision, and personal care services for three to sixteen unrelated adults;

(p) An employee of a health department operated by the board of health of a city or general health district or the authority having the duties of a board of health under section 3709.05 of the Revised Code;

(q) An employee of a community mental health agency, as defined in section 5122.01 of the Revised Code;

(r) An agent of a county humane society organized under section 1717.05 of the Revised Code;

(s) An individual who is a firefighter for a lawfully constituted fire department;

(t) An individual who is an ambulance driver for an emergency medical service organization, as defined in section 4765.01 of the Revised Code;

(u) A first responder, emergency medical technician-basic, emergency medical technician-intermediate, or paramedic, as those terms are defined in section 4765.01 of the Revised Code;

(v) An official employed by a local building department to conduct inspections of houses and other residential buildings;

(w) A peace officer;

(x) A coroner;

(y) A member of the clergy;

(z) An individual who holds a certificate issued under Chapter 4701. of the Revised Code as a certified public accountant or is registered under that chapter as a public accountant;

(aa) An individual licensed under Chapter 4735. of the Revised Code as a real estate broker or real estate salesperson;

(bb) An individual appointed and commissioned under section 147.01 of the Revised Code as a notary public;

(cc) An employee of a bank, savings bank, savings and loan association, or credit union organized under the laws of this state, another state, or the United States;

(dd) A dealer, investment adviser, sales person, or investment advisor representative licensed under Chapter 1707. of the Revised Code;

(ee) A financial planner accredited by a national accreditation agency;

(ff) Any other individual who is a senior service provider, other than a representative of the office of the state long-term care ombudsman program as defined in section 173.14 of the Revised Code.

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