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Abuse and Neglect of an Elderly or Disabled Person

Every year, tens of thousands of elderly Americans and disabled adults are abused in their own homes, in relatives' homes, and even in facilities responsible for their care.

You can report when you suspect that an elderly or disabled person you know is being harmed physically or emotionally by a neglectful or overwhelmed caregiver or being preyed upon financially.

As elders become more physically frail, they're less able to stand up to bullying and fight back if attacked. They may not see or hear as well or think as clearly as they used to, leaving them vulnerable for unscrupulous people to take advantage of them.

Mental or physical ailments may make them more trying companions for the people who live with them.

If you are the victim of abuse or suspect elder abuse, call 911!

If you wish to speak to a counselor concerning elder abuse, call us at 305-418-7200 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and ask to speak with a Victim Advocate.

Helpful resources:


Florida's Silver Alert Program

The statewide Silver Alert is a plan to aid local law enforcement in the rescue or recovery of a missing elderly person who suffers from irreversible deterioration of intellectual faculties, where the person is driving a vehicle.

The statewide Silver Alert program will enhance local law enforcement's response by providing a means to broadcast vehicle description information to motorists.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, in partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle's Florida Highway Patrol, will activate the dynamic message signs in situations where the elderly person is driving a vehicle.

For more information, call the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse at 1-888-356-4774

The Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse - Florida's Silver Alert Plan