Question 1

Can I report suspected abuse anonymously in New York?

Accepted Answer

Reports to Adult Protective Services can generally be made without formally identifying yourself as the reporter, though providing contact information can help APS follow up if they need more detail. Confirm the current specifics of anonymous reporting directly with the Staten Island borough office or the citywide DSS-OneNumber line before making a report if this is a concern.

Question 2

When should I call 911 instead of APS?

Accepted Answer

Call 911 if someone is in immediate danger -- an active assault, a medical emergency, or any situation where waiting for APS to respond during business hours would put someone at serious risk. APS's Staten Island borough line and the citywide DSS-OneNumber line operate during standard business hours and are designed for non-emergency reporting and follow-up.

Question 3

SIUH or Richmond University Medical Center gave us a discharge date in 3 days. What do we do first?

Accepted Answer

Ask the case manager or social worker for the discharge plan in writing, and confirm in writing whether your parent was admitted as an inpatient or held under observation status -- that single fact determines whether Medicare's skilled nursing benefit is even available for a rehab stay afterward.

Question 4

What's the actual difference between "inpatient" and "observation status" after a hospital stay?

Accepted Answer

Medicare's skilled nursing facility benefit requires a qualifying inpatient hospital admission. Time spent under "observation status" does not count toward that requirement, even if your parent physically slept in a hospital bed for multiple nights -- ask the hospital directly, and in writing, which status applied.

Question 5

Can I push back on a hospital discharge date if we're not ready?

Accepted Answer

Generally, yes -- discharge dates are often less fixed than they initially sound, particularly when no safe discharge plan has actually been arranged yet. Hospitals are required to discharge to a genuinely safe setting; raise specific, concrete concerns with the case management or social work team rather than a general request for more time.

Hospice in Staten Island

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