ELDER ABUSE

Elder abuse can be described as an intentional act or omission to act that causes harm to an older adult age 60 or older. The National Council on Aging (NCOA) reports approximately 1 in 10 Americans age 60+ have experienced some form of Elder Abuse. Some estimates range as high as 5 million elders who are abused each year.
Often, the abuse is inflicted by a person the elder trusts or a caregiver. The abuse can take on several forms including physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, financial exploitation, and neglect.

To address the growing number of Elder Abuse cases in Rockdale County the Rockdale County PEARL Program was formed in 2019, becoming one of three officially recognized multi-disciplinary teams in the State of Georgia. PEARL–Protecting our Elderly and At-Risk with Resources for better Living– is Rockdale County’s multidisciplinary team that operates in partnership with State and local agencies to assess, review, investigate, and prosecute cases involving Elderly (65 and older) and At-Risk Adults (18-64 years old with a disability) in the community. The mission of PEARL is to aid and ensure the well-being of elderly and at-risk adults by working with the team to comprehensively address the needs and concerns of this population.
For additional resources and to learn more about PEARL please click here www.rockdalecopearl.org

To report Elder Abuse, please click here https://aging.georgia.gov/report-elder-abuse

Additional Resources

Department of Human Services Division of Aging Services
https://aging.georgia.gov/report-elder-abuse/abuse-neglect-and-exploitation-risk-adults-georgia