• Provide access to services necessary to protect the health, safety and welfare of older adults (age 60+) who lack the capacity to protect themselves and who are at imminent risk of abuse, neglect, exploitation or abandonment; 
  
• Safeguard older people's rights while providing the protective services needed; 
  
• Provide for detection, reduction, correction or elimination of abuse, neglect, exploitation and abandonment; 
  
• Establish a program of protective services for older adults who need them; and 
  
• Educate the public as to the availability of services and create an awareness of the problem. 
  

Mandatory Abuse Reporting

The Older Adults Protective Services Act (OAPSA), which was amended by Act 13 of 1997, mandates reporting requirements on suspected abuse.  Any employee or administrator of a facility who suspects abuse is mandated to report the abuse. All reports of abuse should be reported to the local area agency on aging (AAA) and licensing agencies. If the suspected abuse is sexual abuse, serious physical injury, serious bodily injury, or suspicious death as defined under OAPSA, the law requires additional reporting to the Department of Aging and local law enforcement.

AAA Face-To-Face Visit Performance

Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) are required by law to have a face-to-face visit with older adults potentially needing protective services after receiving a Report of Need (RON). The timeliness of the visit depends on how the RON is categorized.  When the report is categorized as an emergency or priority, the AAA must meet with the individual within 24 hours of receiving the RON. For all other RON categorizations, AAAs are required to meet with the older adult within the 20-day investigation timeframe. The Pennsylvania Department of Aging monitors and measures each AAA monthly on the percentage of cases where face-to-face compliance was achieved within the required regulatory time frames. 

Face-To-Face Performance Report - June 2024 Data Report​​ (PDF)

Updated monthly results will be published. The Pennsylvania Department of Aging will be adding additional performance metrics and outcomes to the website throughout the remainder of the calendar year.​

Criminal History Background Checks

OAPSA, as amended by Act 169 of 1996 and Act 13 of 1997, mandates that specific types of facilities require applicants for employment to submit their applications with a report of criminal history record information. 

Any person who believes that an older adult is being abused, neglected, exploited or abandoned may call the elder abuse helpline. The helpline is open 24 hours a day.​