Illinois has a new 24/7 elder abuse hotline.
Stepping up efforts to fight elder abuse, Governor Rod R.Blagojevich today announced a new hotline where seniors and their lovedones can report elder abuse or exploitation and quickly get help.Beginning today, the new Elder Abuse Hotline, (866) 800-1409, will bestaffed around the clock by trained state caseworkers who will beprepared take reports of elder abuse, and forward them promptly tolocal service agencies or law enforcement.
Seniors who are victims of elder abuse, or anyone who suspects anelder is being abused, should call the Illinois Department on Aging’s24-hour Elder Abuse Hotline at (866) 800-1409 or TTY at (800)544-5304. All calls and information related to elder abuse arestrictly confidential. For more information on how to detect andprevent elder abuse, please visit www.state.il.us/aging.”After a lifetime of working hard and raising a family, our seniorcitizens deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Unfortunately,there are people out there who exploit and even abuse senior citizens,”said Gov. Blagojevich. “That’s unacceptable, and the sooner we knowabout a case of abuse, the sooner we can put a stop to it. That’s whywe created this 24-hour hotline.”A trained elder abuse caseworker will respond within a specifiedtime period depending on the severity of the case: within 24 hours forthe most dangerous situations, within 72 hours for less serious onesand up to seven days for all others. When actual cases of abuse arefound, provider agencies that work with the State will forward thereports on to local police.
***Previously, elder abuse complaints were taken by the IllinoisDepartment on Aging’s (IDoA) Senior HelpLine, which is staffed eightand a half hours a day, five days a week. After-hours, complaints weretaken by an automated voicemail system. Under the Governor’sdirection, IDoA representatives will staff the new Elder Abuse Hotline24-hours a day, seven days per week.
Read more in this press release out of the Governor’s office.