You Can Help
The following is a list of Do's and Don'ts for family and community members related to the prevention of adult abuse:
DO
- Maintain close ties with impaired friends and relatives
- Find sources of help and use them
- Examine closely your ability to provide long-term, in-home care
- Explore alternative sources of care
- Develop new ways to provide assistance to care giving families
- Ask community groups to become involved in service programs
- Publicize available support services and professionals
- Provide training for community "gatekeepers" and service providers
- Recognize that many forms of abuse and mistreatments are crimes
- Contact your local county department of social services if you suspect adult abuse in your family or community
DON'T
- Offer personal home care unless you thoroughly understand and can meet the demands, responsibilities, and costs involved
- Ignore your limitations and overextend yourself when caring for an impaired adult
- Expect family problems to disappear once the impaired adult moves into the home
- Hamper the impaired adult's independence
- Intrude unnecessarily on the impaired adult's privacy
- Ignore signs of abuse in the community because you aren't related to the suspected victim
- Neglect reporting suspected abuse for fear of financial or legal responsibility
