Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 19A, Section 15 requires that nurses who have reasonable cause to believe that an elderly person is suffering from or has died as a result of abuse must immediately make an oral report and submit a written report within 48 hours.
Elder abuse is defined as an act or omission which results in serious physical or emotional injury to an elderly person or financial exploitation of an elderly person; or the failure, inability, or resistance of an elderly person to provide for himself or herself 1 or more of the necessities essential for physical and emotional well-being without which the elderly person would be unable to safely remain in the community.
Forms of abuse include:
- Physical
- Sexual
- Emotional
- Neglect
- Financial exploitation
- Self-neglect
However, no person is considered to be abused or neglected for the sole reason that such person is being furnished or relies upon treatment in accordance with the tenets and teachings of a church or religious denomination by a duly accredited practitioner thereof.
How to report
All reports of elder abuse, including self-neglect, must be made immediately to the appropriate designated Protective Services (PS) agency or the statewide Elder Abuse Hotline (800) 922-2275, active 24/7.
Typically, elder abuse reports are made to PS agencies during normal business hours and to the Hotline during after-hours periods, on weekends and holidays.
Find additional information, including acts that constitute elder abuse and reporting forms from the Protective Services Program.
If you report suspected abuse, the law provides you with immunity from from any civil or criminal liability that otherwise could result from making a report, provided that you did not commit the abuse.
Failure to report
If you fail to make an elder abuse reports, you will be subject to a fine up to $1,000.