In the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, Adult Protective Services (APS) is a government agency that investigates allegations of a
vulnerable adult being or having been abused, neglected, or exploited by their caregivers.
APS is typically administered by local or state health, aging, or regulatory departments and includes a multidisciplinary approach to helping older adults, and younger adults with disabilities, who are victims.
Services range from the initial investigation of mistreatment, to health and supportive services and legal interventions, up to and including the appointment of surrogate decision-makers such as
legal guardians.
While some states provide adult protective services to older adults only, as in
Ohio
Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...
where the APS law applies to those 60 and older,
most serve adults with disabilities over the age of 18 who meet the state's definition of "vulnerable".
Disabilities may be due to aging, developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, mental illness or cognitive impairments.
Forms of abuse include physical, emotional, verbal, and sexual abuse as well as financial exploitation.
"Neglect" can be perpetrated by any
caregiver
A caregiver, carer or support worker is a paid or unpaid person who helps an individual with activities of daily living. Caregivers who are members of a care recipient's family or social network, who may have specific professional training, are o ...
who has accepted the responsibility of assisting an older person or an adult with disabilities.
Most states include
self-neglect
Self-neglect is a behavioral condition in which an individual neglects to attend to their basic needs, such as personal hygiene, appropriate clothing, feeding, or tending appropriately to any illness, medical conditions they have. More generally, ...
in their definitions of those needing adult protective services.
Self-neglect refers to a person who is unable to care for themselves due to physical or cognitive impairments.
See also
*
Vulnerable adult
*
Safeguarding
References
Further reading
* National Adult Protective Services Resource Center, 2012
"Adult Protective Services in 2012: Increasingly Vulnerable."* Este, Stephen, 2007
"The Challenges of Accountability in the Human Services: Performance Management in the Adult Protective Services Program of Texas"(2007). Applied Research Projects.
Texas State University
Texas State University (TXST) is a public university, public research university with its main campus in San Marcos, Texas, United States, and another campus in Round Rock, Texas, Round Rock. Since its establishment in 1899, the university has ...
Paper 250.
* Wold, Kezeli, 2010
"Adult Protective Services Specialists in Texas: Perceptions of Three Factors Affecting Turnover" Applied Research Projects.
Texas State University
Texas State University (TXST) is a public university, public research university with its main campus in San Marcos, Texas, United States, and another campus in Round Rock, Texas, Round Rock. Since its establishment in 1899, the university has ...
Paper 328.
External links
National Adult Protective Services AssociationNational Center on Elder AbuseInternational Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse Adult Protective Service Association of Ontario Senior Abuse Awareness and Prevention
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Social care in the United States
Vulnerable adults