Harris County Launches Elder Abuse Prevention Campaign in May

District Attorney Devon Anderson launched a countywide elder abuse prevention campaign on May 4th.

“Our Office prosecutes financial and physical abuse against the elderly. However, we know that to get to the root of the problem, awareness and prevention are key to stopping this conduct,” said DA Anderson. “Elder abuse is under reported and under recognized, and we are hoping to change that through this campaign.”

Harris County, which includes Houston, Texas, is home to the largest number of senior citizens in the Lone Star State. Statistics from the 2010 census show that 8.1% of the population of Harris County is over 65 years old. Many of these citizens rely on a caretaker or a nursing home, which means that many of them are subjected to elder abuse, from financial to physical.

“It is important for citizens to pay attention to what is happening with their senior neighbors,” said Lynne Parsons, Chief of the Elder Exploitation Section. “Sometimes the seniors may not realize their caretaker or family member is hurting or exploiting them. The community can play a major role by reporting any change in well- established behavior of their elderly neighbor.”

The elder abuse prevention campaign will run for 4 weeks, and includes bilingual billboards across the county that state, “Too Precious to Neglect, Report Elder Abuse.”

The campaign comes just on the heels of the terrible deaths of two men at a northwest Houston nursing home. Guillermo Correa, a 56-year-old resident of the home, murdered two other residents and now faces capital murder charges.

“It’s not always the caregiver who is abusing. So a very unusual situation, but it certainly pertinent to this discussion we are having today,” said Anderson.

Signs of Elder Abuse:

Nursing home residents suffering from physical abuse by their caregivers (home caregivers, family member caregivers) may show:

• bruises, welts, burns
• unexplained fractures or other physical injuries
• repeated accidents
• injuries left untreated
• references to caregiver’s temper or anger
• nervous or quiet around caregiver
• runs away from the home or tries to
• has marks or scars from restraints on wrists
• shows effects of chemical restraints such as incoherence, grogginess, excessive sleep
• sudden fear, restlessness, anxiety
• prevented from getting medical treatment or being alone with visitors

Take Action:

First, report the elder abuse signs or events to Adult Protective Services. APS is responsible for investigating and restoring an environment of proper care. If your loved one has sustained mental or physical damage, contact an experienced attorney to investigate avenues of financial recovery and punitive damages. At Strom Law Firm, LLC., we offer a complimentary case evaluation. We’ll fight for you or your loved one, so you can focus on the recovery process.

The Attorneys at the Strom Law Firm Prosecute Elder Abuse

If your loved one has physically suffered, or died wrongfully, because an in-home caregiver or registered nurse in a nursing home has neglected the patient, you may have an elder abuse case. The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm understand the sensitive nature of elder abuse cases, and will treat you with respect and compassion. It is important to fight elder abuse so you, your family, and others no longer suffer because of criminal behavior. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case. Contact us today for help.803.252.4800