Elder Abuse Prevention

Prevent Elder Abuse and Exploitation

We are here to help you and your loved ones remain safe.

Elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation can be physical, emotional, financial, sexual, or self-inflicted. It can happen anywhere, and the abuser can be a loved one, family member, friend, neighbor, paid caregiver, or stranger.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of older persons are abused, neglected, and exploited. At Vintage, we work to ensure that older adults who have been abused are supported and protected, and we have a zero-tolerance policy for any kind of abuse.

We are here to help provide support and education to prevent abuse, exploitation, and neglect.

Financial Exploitation

Financial exploitation is a common occurrence. It happens when a person misuses or takes the assets of a vulnerable adult for their benefit. Exploitation frequently occurs without the explicit knowledge or consent of an older or disabled adult, depriving the person of certain assets.

Assets can be taken via forms of deception, pretenses, coercion, harassment, duress, and threats.

Here are some types of Financial Exploitation of Older Adults to be wary of:

Theft: involves assets taken without knowledge, consent, or authorization; may include stealing cash, valuables, medications, or other personal property.
Fraud involves dishonesty, including forgeries, falsification of records, unauthorized check writing, Ponzi-type financial schemes, and more.
Real Estate involves illegal sales, transfers, or changes to property title(s), which may include unauthorized or invalid changes to estate documents.
Contractor: This term includes building contractors or handypersons who receive payment(s) for making repairs but fail to initiate or complete the project. It may consist of invalid contractor liens.
Lottery Scams involve payments (or the transfer of funds) to collect unclaimed property or “prizes” from lotteries or sweepstakes.
Electronic: This includes “phishing” e-mail messages that trick people into unwittingly surrendering bank passwords. It may also consist of faxes, wire transfers, and telephonic communications.
Mortgage: includes financial products that are unaffordable or out-of-compliance with regulatory requirements; may consist of loans issued against the property by unauthorized parties.
Investment: This includes investments made without knowledge or consent. It may consist of high-fee funds (front or back-loaded) or excessive trading activity to generate commissions for financial advisors.
Insurance: involves sales of inappropriate products, such as a thirty-year annuity, and may include unauthorized trading of life insurance policies.

When to Report Abuse: Checklist

If you witness a life-threatening situation involving a loved one or adult with disabilities, dial 911.

Contact your local law enforcement agency and Adult Protective Services agency any time you observe or suspect the following:

Termination of vital utilities such as telephone, water, electricity/gas, or garbage
Unpaid bills and liabilities despite adequate income
Oversight of finances surrendered to others without explanation or consent
Transferring assets to new “friends” assisting with finances
Checks are written to “Cash.”
Does not understand current finances, offers improbable explanations
Unexplained disappearance of cash, valuable objects, financial statements
Unexplained or unauthorized changes to wills or other estate documents
Giving away money or spending promiscuously
The appearance of property liens or foreclosure notices

Please note that certain professionals must report elder abuse, caretaker neglect, and exploitation of at-risk elders (an at-risk elder is any person 70 years of age or older). If you are a mandatory reporter and you witness or become aware that an at-risk elder has been or is at imminent risk for mistreatment, you must report to law enforcement within 24 hours.

Report Elder Abuse

To report suspected elder abuse, contact your local law enforcement agency and the Adult Protective Services (APS) agency in the county where the person resides:

Eagle County

Grand & Jackson Counties

Pitkin County

Routt County

Summit County

If you want to learn more about APS, watch this informational video from our friends at El Paso County.

More Resources

Colorado State Long-Term Care Ombudsman

Colorado Coalition for Elder Rights & Abuse Prevention