Join the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department in the fight against elder abuse.
San Diego County Sheriff’s rep, Julio Garcia, shared with SVCA that elder abuse has been an issue for some time, but it is getting worse as our parents and members of the “Greatest Generation” are getting very old. Many times the abuse comes from adult children or caretakers so the older person is afraid to speak up. Abuse takes many forms such as physical, verbal, isolation, financial devastation, and even withholding medications. We need many eyes and ears in our community watching for possible elder abuse and taking action to notify the County Sheriff. Now the District Attorney can bring charges directly, even though the abused person does not press charges. We want everyone to know the signs of abuse as we interact with our older generation.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department investigates and successfully prosecutes people for crimes and abuse of the elderly. Nearly 300 incidents involving elder abuse were investigated last year. Scams targeting older adults were especially on the rise. The local sheriff’s department advises people to ignore, hang up, throw away or shut the door to avoid becoming the victim of a scam.
Some signs of abuse people should take notice of are:
- Physical
- Financial
- Abandonment / Isolation
- Neglect / Self Neglect
- Mental Suffering
If you or someone you know is a victim of elder abuse please file a confidential or anonymous report.
Contact the San Diego Sheriff’s Department at (858) 565-5200 or the Elder Abuse Hotline at (800) 510-2020
To learn more about common scams and how to avoid them please visit: