Know the signs. Make the call.
Most elder abuse is never reported. Not because people do not care, but because they are not sure what they are seeing or whether it is their place to say something. It is.
Tennessee Adult Protective Services. Answered 24 hours a day, every day. Report online at reportadultabuse.dhs.tn.gov.
Reporting is not accusing. You do not have to be a professional, you do not have to be certain, and you can stay anonymous. A caseworker decides what happens next — your job is only to say what you noticed.
Recognizing the signs of abuse
Abuse rarely looks like one dramatic event. It usually looks like a pattern — small things that keep happening, and explanations that keep changing.
Physical abuse
- Bruises, welts, or burns, especially in patterns or on both sides of the body
- Injuries that do not match the explanation given
- Repeated emergency room visits
- Broken eyeglasses, restraint marks on wrists
- Medication that runs out too fast, or is never refilled
- A caregiver who will not leave the person alone with you
Emotional and psychological abuse
- Yelling, threats, insults, or humiliation — including in front of others
- Being cut off from friends, church, phone calls, or mail
- New fearfulness, agitation, or withdrawal
- Rocking, mumbling, or other self-soothing that is new
- Someone answering every question on the person's behalf
- The person seems afraid to disagree with a family member
Financial exploitation
- Sudden large withdrawals, wire transfers, or gift card purchases
- A new name added to accounts, deeds, or a power of attorney
- Bills unpaid though the person has money
- Missing checks, jewelry, or valuables
- A new friend, caregiver, or online romance handling the money
- Changes to a will the person cannot explain
Neglect and self-neglect
- Weight loss, dehydration, untreated bedsores
- Dirty clothing or bedding, strong odors, unsafe housing
- No heat, no running water, no working smoke alarm
- Hearing aids, dentures, walkers, or glasses missing or broken
- Missed medical appointments or unfilled prescriptions
- An older adult living alone who can no longer manage safely
How to report abuse
In Tennessee, every adult is a mandated reporter of suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of an adult who cannot protect themselves. There is one number for all 95 counties.
If someone is in danger now, call 911
For immediate medical emergencies or violence in progress, call 911 first. Adult Protective Services is not an emergency response service.
Call 1-888-277-8366 or report online
The Adult Protective Services line is answered 24 hours a day, every day. You can also file at reportadultabuse.dhs.tn.gov.
Say what you saw, in your own words
A caseworker will ask questions and decide whether to investigate. You do not need documents, dates, or a diagnosis.
Helpful to have, but not required
- The person's name, age, and address
- Who else lives there or provides care
- What you saw or heard, and when
- Whether the person has a doctor or case manager
- Whether anyone controls their money
Suspected abuse in a nursing home or assisted living facility can also go to the Tennessee Long-Term Care Ombudsman through your Area Agency on Aging and Disability.
Scam alerts targeting seniors
Every one of these works the same way: urgency, secrecy, and a payment method that cannot be reversed. If someone tells you not to talk to your family, that is the scam.
The grandparent call
A voice says a grandchild is in jail or in the hospital and needs money right now — and asks you not to tell their parents. Hang up and call the grandchild yourself.
Government impostors
Social Security, Medicare, and the IRS do not call to threaten arrest, suspend your number, or demand gift cards. They write letters.
Medicare and health fraud
Free braces, test kits, or genetic screening in exchange for your Medicare number. Check every statement for services you never received.
Tech support pop-ups
A warning appears saying your computer is infected, with a number to call. No real company works that way. Shut the computer down instead.
Romance and friendship
Months of affection online, then an emergency that only money can fix — and a reason they can never meet in person or video call.
Sweepstakes and lotteries
You have won, but first you must pay taxes or fees. A real prize never costs money up front, and you cannot win a contest you did not enter.
Call your bank immediately — some wires and transfers can still be stopped. Then report it to Adult Protective Services at 1-888-277-8366 and to your local police. Being scammed is not a failure of judgment, and no one at the Coalition will treat it as one.
Videos
Short recordings from Coalition trainings and awareness campaigns, shared on our Facebook page. Press play to watch without leaving this page.
Weekly update: grandchild scams, romance fraud, and AI impersonation
Grandchild and romance scams, AI-assisted impersonation, the return of fake “unclaimed life insurance” letters, and Tennessee’s new limits on cryptocurrency kiosks.
3 min 29 sec · plays here, from our Facebook page
Weekly update: the crypto ATM ban and recovery scams
Tennessee’s cryptocurrency ATM ban, the payment methods scammers turn to next, recovery scams aimed at people who have already lost money, and healthcare fraud.
3 min 29 sec · plays here, from our Facebook page
How “pig butchering” crypto scams work
It starts with a friendly text or an online romance, builds trust over months, then moves to a fake cryptocurrency platform. If someone you have only met online encourages you to invest, treat it as a scam until proven otherwise.
2 min 10 sec · plays here, from our Facebook page
Downloadable materials
Print these for a waiting room, a senior center bulletin board, or a bank break room. Large-print versions are set at 16pt. File links are placeholders until the PDFs are uploaded.