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