How to Report Elder Abuse in Florida

The short answer: To report elder abuse in Florida, call the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873, any time of day or night, or report online. The Department of Children and Families (DCF) runs the hotline and its Adult Protective Services investigators. You do not need proof, only a reasonable suspicion, and you do not have to give your name. (Sources: DCF and DCF hotline FAQ.)

What Counts as Elder Abuse in Florida?

Florida's adult protective services law protects any vulnerable adult: a person 18 or older whose ability to handle daily activities or protect themselves is impaired by a mental, emotional, sensory, physical or developmental disability, brain damage, or the infirmities of aging. (Source: Florida Statute 415.102.) The hotline takes reports of:

• Abuse: a willful act or threat by a relative, caregiver or household member that causes, or is likely to cause, significant harm to the person's physical, mental or emotional health.
• Neglect: a caregiver failing to provide needed food, clothing, medicine, shelter, supervision or medical care, or failing to make a reasonable effort to protect the person from others.
• Exploitation: someone in a position of trust using deception or intimidation to take or use the person's money or property, or anyone taking advantage of a person they know cannot consent.
• Self-neglect: an older adult who can no longer care for themselves and has no one helping. (Source: DCF Adult Protective Services.)

Warning signs include unexplained bruises or injuries, sudden weight loss, unpaid bills or missing money, a new "friend" controlling someone's finances, an older adult who seems afraid of a caregiver, and a caregiver who will not let you visit alone.

How to Report Elderly Abuse: Step by Step

1. Call 911 if the person is in immediate danger.
2. Call the hotline at 1-800-962-2873 and press 2, or report online. You can also fax a written report to 1-800-914-0004 with your name and a phone or fax number. (Source: DCF.)
3. Have the details ready, as far as you know them: the person's name, age, address and how to find them; what you saw or heard and when; who you think is responsible; and any danger to the investigator, such as weapons or dogs.
4. Don't wait for proof. Investigators decide what happened. Your job is to report a reasonable suspicion.

Who Must Report Elder Abuse in Florida?

Everyone. Florida law requires any person who knows, or has reasonable cause to suspect, that a vulnerable adult has been or is being abused, neglected or exploited to report it immediately to the hotline. The law names some groups in particular, including doctors, nurses and paramedics, nursing home and assisted living staff, social workers, police, and bank, credit union and investment staff. (Source: Florida Statute 415.1034.)

• Failing to report known or suspected abuse, knowingly and willfully, is a second-degree misdemeanor. Making a false report on purpose is a third-degree felony. (Source: Florida Statute 415.111.)
• Good-faith reporters are protected. Anyone who makes a report is presumed to act in good faith and is immune from civil or criminal liability unless bad faith is shown by clear and convincing evidence. (Source: Florida Statute 415.1036.)
• Your name stays private. You can report without giving your name. DCF says professionals who must report as part of their job need to give their name, but it is confidential and can be shared only with protective staff, the state attorney or law enforcement. (Sources: DCF FAQ and Florida Statute 415.107.)

What Happens After You Report

• The hotline decides whether a report needs an immediate, 24-hour or next-working-day response. Reports about abuse by someone who is not a relative, caregiver or household member go straight to the county sheriff. (Source: Florida Statute 415.103.)
• An Adult Protective Services investigator must start an onsite investigation within 24 hours and finish within 60 days. (Source: Florida Statute 415.104.)
• If the person needs help and agrees to it, DCF must immediately provide or arrange protective services, such as supervision, a safe placement, or in-home and community services, often through the Community Care for the Elderly program. An adult who can make their own decisions may refuse. If the person cannot consent, DCF can ask a court to order services. (Sources: Florida Statute 415.105 and 415.1051.)

Reporting Abuse in a Nursing Home or Assisted Living Facility

Abuse, neglect or exploitation of a resident still goes to the Florida Abuse Hotline. (Source: Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.) These offices can also help:

• Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), which licenses and inspects facilities: complaint line 1-888-419-3456 (weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.), or the online complaint form at any time. (Source: AHCA.)
• Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program: volunteers who investigate residents' complaints, free and confidential. Call 1-888-831-0404. (Source: Ombudsman Program.)
• Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, which investigates abuse, neglect and exploitation of patients in facilities paid by Medicaid: 1-866-966-7226. (Source: Florida Attorney General.)

Financial Exploitation of an Elderly Person

Taking an older adult's money can also be a crime. Under Florida Statute 825.103, exploiting a person 60 or older whose ability to care for themselves is impaired is a felony, from third degree for under $10,000 up to first degree for $50,000 or more. It covers misuse of money by someone in a position of trust, a guardian or a power of attorney agent who breaks their duty, and a caregiver who does not spend the person's income on their needs. (Source: Florida Statute 825.103.)

A vulnerable adult, their guardian, or someone acting with their consent can ask a court for an injunction for protection against exploitation, which can freeze accounts quickly. There is no filing fee and no lawyer is required. (Source: Florida Statute 825.1035.) The Florida Senior Legal Helpline, 1-888-895-7873, gives free legal advice to people 60 and older who meet an income test.

If an older adult can no longer make decisions and has no one to help, a court can appoint a guardian. See our guide to public guardianship in Florida. For other help, see senior and disabled services in Florida or your county's Aging and Disability Resource Center.

Questions About Reporting Elder Abuse

Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal advice. If you are unsure whether something is abuse, call the hotline and let them decide.