Who investigates elder abuse?
All states have some form of elder-abuse-reporting system. Elder abuse is reported to the authorities, usually through a state elder-abuse hotline. The adult protective services agency screens calls for seriousness, and if the agency suspects that the situation possibly violates elder-abuse laws, it assigns a caseworker to conduct an investigation. If elder abuse occurs in a nursing facility, the state licensing agency also investigates the abuse. Some states have set up elder care ombudsman offices that investigate elder abuse in nursing or medical facilities.