Your Role in Preventing Abuse and Neglect
Working closely with an employer, you may be the first to see or suspect that someone is abusing, neglecting or exploiting your employer. As a personal assistant you will be a mandated reporter. This means that if you know or suspect that someone you are working with is being abused, neglected, or exploited you are legally obligated to report what you see or suspect to Adult Protective Services. In most cases the confidentiality of the reporter will be protected.

Abuse includes actions which result in bodily harm, pain or mental distress. Examples of abuse are:

• Pushing, hitting, shaking, pulling hair
• Tying to a bed or chair or locking in a room
• Forcing into sexual activity
• Giving the wrong medicine or too much medicine on purpose
• Denying visits with friends or family
• Name calling, harassment or verbal threats

Neglect is the failure to provide care and services when an adult is unable to care for him or herself. Neglect may be at the hands of someone else or it may be self neglect. Neglect includes failure to provide:

• Adequate shelter, clothes or food
• Personal care
• Medical attention or necessary medication
• Necessities such as glasses, dentures, hearing aides, walkers

Exploitation is the illegal or improper use of an adult’s money or property for another person’s profit or advantage. Examples of exploitation include:

• Forcing an adult to change a will or sign over control of assets
• Forcing an adult to sell or give away property or possessions
• Keeping the adult’s pension or social security check
  

To make a report of abuse, neglect or exploitation, call Adult Protective Services at (800) 624-8404 (toll-free number available nationwide, 24 hours a day).

Be ready to give as much information as you can:

• Your employer’s name, address and age
• Any known physical or mental impairment
• Nature and extent of the danger to your employer
• Name of other people who might be involved, if any
• Any other information related to the problem

For more information, go the Maine Bureau of Elder and Adult Services website: http://www.maine.gov/dhs/beas/resource/ane_flyer.htm

If It Happens to You . . .
Personal assistants may also experience abuse or be mistreated on the job. Look for more information in the Info Sheet "Protecting Yourself on the Job".