To report elder abuse in California:

• California Nursing Home Elder Abuse or Long Term Care -- (800) 231-4024
• Domestic/Community Elder Abuse - (888) 436-3600

In addition to the number listed above, the Bureau of Medi-cal Fraud and Elder Abuse allows reports to be submitted online. Click here for the link to report elder abuse via e-mail.

Nursing Home Abuse in California

There are over 1,200 nursing homes in California. The state estimates that nearly 43% of California’s elder population will use a nursing home at one point in their lives. A study by the United States General Accounting Office reported that one in three nursing homes were cited for “serious or potentially life-threatening” problems in 1998.

Report any suspicions of elder abuse immediately.

What are the types of abuses?

• Financial -- Improperly assuming an elder’s identity or theft or embezzlement of money or real property constitutes as financial elder abuse in California.
  • Common indicators include:
    • Unusual bank account activity
    • Unauthorized credit card use
    • Change of will, trust or deed
• Physical -- This form of abuse includes, but is not limited to, hitting, spitting and biting of an elder.
  • Common indicators include:
    • Bruises or discoloration of the skin
    • Unexplainable bone fractures
    • Wounds
• Neglect -- Failure to provide adequate daily necessities such as personal hygiene, medical care, food and water are some items that California constitutes as neglect.
  • Common symptoms include:
    • Poor personal hygiene
    • Unusual drop in weight
    • Dehydration
• Emotional -- Verbal or non-verbal assaults made directly or indirectly to an elder. Common assaults include yelling, threatening, intimidating and confinement.
  • Common symptoms include:
    • Depression
    • Anxiety
    • Fear of others
    • Hopelessness

Where can you find help?

In addition to the contact information listed above, you can also report elder abuse to the following local California regions:

• Los Angeles County -- (213) 974-3501
• Orange County -- (714) 834-3636
• Riverside County -- (909) 955-5400
• San Bernardino County -- (909) 387-6607
• San Diego County -- (619) 531-4040
• San Francisco County -- (415) 553-1752

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California Counties:

Alameda, Alpine, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Plumas, Riverside, Sacramento, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Ventura, Yolo, Yuba