Missouri Elder Abuse Reports Hit 43,208 in 2025, Still Vastly Underreported
Missouri logged 43,208 elder and disability abuse reports in 2025 — but officials warn that for every case reported, an estimated 23 others go undetected.
JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI — Missouri’s Adult Protective Services investigated 43,208 reports of seniors and adults with disabilities being abused or neglected in 2025, about 1,300 more than the previous year, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
The state now averages 118 reports per day, a figure that officials say reflects both growing awareness and an ongoing staffing challenge for the agency tasked with responding to every case.
A Double-Edged Rise in Reports
Tim Jackson, who oversees Adult Protective Services for the state, described the uptick in reports as a complicated development. “Obviously, we want more awareness of abuse, neglect, and exploitation, so we would like to see those numbers go up because we know that it is an unreported problem. At the same time, we’re somewhat thinly staffed,” Jackson said.
Jackson noted that adult abuse takes many forms, including physical abuse, caregiver neglect, financial exploitation, and self-neglect. He said a significant portion of reports involve individuals who were once capable of managing daily tasks but have reached a point where they can no longer do so independently.
“We get a lot of reports where a person may have been able to take care of all of their needs in the past, but they’ve gotten to a point where they’re unable to or having difficulty with some of their activities of daily living,” Jackson said. “So, we get reports to respond to those situations, and basically what we’re trying to do is provide any kind of resources or services that are needed for that person to get past that.”
The Scope of Underreporting
Despite the increase in reports, experts emphasize that the data captures only a fraction of actual cases. It is estimated that 23 cases of adult abuse go unreported for every single case that is reported, according to the department.
Jackson pointed to the dynamics of dependency as a primary reason victims stay silent. Many seniors or adults with disabilities rely on a family member for physical care and fear what might happen if they speak up.
“I think a lot of people have the fear that they’ll be placed in a nursing home,” Jackson said. “There is that misconception out there that we can place people in nursing homes — we do not have that ability to do that because we’re working with people who have the right to make their own decisions.”
Isolation Compounds the Problem
Wendy Bruemmer, with the Division of Senior and Disability Services, said social isolation is another key factor that keeps abuse hidden. Unlike children, who are regularly seen by teachers, doctors, and other community members, many adults with disabilities or aging seniors have far fewer regular outside contacts.
“[There’s a] lack of social supports or lack of supports within their community or family,” Bruemmer said. “We all want to be very independent, you know, [but] that independence also kind of drives some of that isolation, them not wanting to bother their family members.”
Bruemmer added that visible signs such as unexplained bruising may serve as potential indicators of abuse or neglect for those who do have contact with vulnerable adults.
Missouri residents who suspect elder abuse or neglect can contact the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services’ Adult Protective Services division to file a report, according to the agency.
