Elder Programs

Unfortunately the elderly are often a target of theft, fraud and abuse. Our office has taken a no tolerance approach to help curb these crimes against the elderly. Through our Elder Abuse Division, our office is able to be more effective in prosecuting crimes against the older population of Madison County.

Specifically, the Elder Abuse Division Focuses on:

Physical abuse
Sexual Abuse
Emotional Abuse
Confinement
Passive Neglect
Willful Deprivation
Financial Exploitation

The State’s Attorney’s Office has a Procedures and Policy Plan to help the Assistant State’s Attorneys and victim/witness advocates assigned to cases. The plan provides information about specific statutes regarding elderly abuse, tips for gaining respect and trust of the elderly victim, information on how to properly gather evidence and additional resources to help them in more effectively prosecuting the case.

The Elder Abuse Division received accolades in 2005 when the State’s Attorney's office was honored with the Community Builder Award by the Franklin Masonic Lodge 25 in Alton, Ill. The Lodge recognized the State’s Attorney’s Office for the establishment of the Elder Abuse Division, as well as their commitment and support to the Madison County Child Advocacy Center.

For more information contact the office at (618) 692-6280 or SAinfo@co.madison.il.us To learn about how our office assists victims/witnesses of crimes, visit our Victim/Witness section of the website.

For state programs and services and information about senior issues such as Medicare Part D, Veterans Issues and the Statewide B SAFE program, visit the Illinois Attorney General's website:www.ag.state.il.us/seniors/index.html.

Elder Abuse Resources

Agencies that respond to elder abuse, neglect or financial exploitation are:

The State of Illinois' Elder Abuse Hotline

To report abuse against an elderly person, call (866) 800-1409 or TTY at (800) 544-5304. This hotline is staffed around the clock by trained state caseworkers who will be prepared to take reports of elder abuse and quickly forward them to local service agencies. More information on how to detect and prevent elder abuse, visit www.state.il.us/aging.

Southwestern Illinois Visiting Nurses Association (618) 236-5863

Illinois Department of Public Health Nursing Home Hotline (800) 252-4343

If you are unsure of who to contact in the event you suspect abuse against an elderly person, call your local police department.