An elderly Cuyahoga County woman came within a spark of disaster after Adult Protective Services workers discovered a portable outdoor generator wired directly into her indoor furnace, leaking a substantial amount of natural gas into her home before the gas company shut off service entirely. Investigators say the setup could have caused an explosion from a single spark or even static electricity. The case is one of thousands now moving through a county system that is fielding abuse and neglect reports at a record pace.
Cuyahoga County Adult Protective Services received 3,090 abuse and neglect reports in 2025, and the agency is on pace to receive between 3,300 and 3,400 reports in 2026, according to Cleveland.com. That would mark another record year for the hotline. Reports of neglect, exploitation and abuse of older adults to the county's hotline have already climbed more than 30% over the last five years, according to Signal Cleveland.
A Furnace Rigged to Fail
The visit came from the agency’s new behavioral health unit, which checked on the woman after concerns were raised about her memory and cognitive state. During the assessment, workers also noted questionable handyman charges and unusually high lawn-care bills. Cleveland.com reported that a handyman had charged her $9,000 for gas-system work officials estimated should have cost about $1,500 if done correctly.
Natasha Pietrocola, whose office is overseeing the case, said the woman could have faced catastrophic consequences if she had turned on the furnace. Cleveland.com reported that her office filed a police report over suspected financial exploitation and scheduled additional assessments to help protect the woman from future harm. The case remains under investigation.
More Than One Person May Be Involved
The reported charges involved more than one person. Another individual allegedly charged an amount comparable to a full roof replacement for patching small holes; investigators are looking into whether he operates independently, runs his own business or is connected to a larger company. The handyman who worked on the gas system had also planned electrical work at the home, according to Cleveland.com.
Pietrocola said the cases her office now sees are growing more complicated, and she fears the abuse itself may be getting worse. In a separate case, Adult Protective Services helped a woman find appropriate care and intervened to give her more time before she would otherwise have been forced out of her home.
Self-Neglect Remains the Most Common Complaint
Most Adult Protective Services cases in Cuyahoga County involve self-neglect, which can stem from cognitive problems, deteriorating homes, or living spaces simply not built for aging bodies, according to the same report. About a quarter of reports involve exploitation tied to the illegal or improper use of an older adult's money or resources, per Signal Cleveland. Cases involving physical abuse, emotional and psychological abuse, and financial abuse are all rising as well.
County officials attribute part of the increase to residual social isolation from the pandemic and the growing economic vulnerability of seniors, the outlet reports. Inflation and the loss of pandemic-era assistance have made it harder for people on fixed incomes to keep up with housing, food, utilities and other necessities. Workers with the agency have encountered seniors living without utilities, in unsafe or severely deteriorated homes, or in need of immediate medical attention.
A Growing Senior Population Ahead
Cuyahoga County's population age 60 and older is projected to reach nearly 30% of all residents by 2030, up from about 26% in 2021, and is expected to exceed 400,000 people, according to the same Signal Cleveland report. The county budgets roughly $5.4 million a year for adult protective services and employs about 30 social service workers to handle the growing caseload. Most reports to the agency come from professionals who regularly interact with older adults, including social workers, Meals on Wheels providers, senior centers, hospitals and nursing homes.
Population Growth, County Resources and a Separate Fraud Case
The population measures use different age thresholds: the projection cited above covers residents 60 and older, while Cuyahoga County’s 2024-2025 budget book, citing 2022 U.S. Census Bureau Quick Facts, says the share of residents aged 65 and over rose from 15% in 2010 to 19.6% in 2022. The county’s roughly $5.4 million annual APS budget and about 30 social service workers provide a snapshot of the resources serving residents as the older population grows, but the 65-and-over figure is not directly comparable with the 60-and-older projection, according to the Cuyahoga County 2024-2025 Biennial Budget. A separate, resolved contractor-fraud case offers a distinction from the allegations under investigation here: Cleveland19 reported that Avon contractor Jeffrey Crawford was sentenced in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court to four to five years in prison after pleading guilty to schemes totaling nearly $3 million involving transactions to build homes in Cuyahoga and Lorain counties. That case was not an elder-abuse allegation involving the woman in this story.
The county has also been trying to educate the public through its Livable Cuyahoga campaign and other outreach efforts. Pietrocola urged residents to report suspected abuse to Adult Protective Services rather than assume someone else will step in.
How to Report Suspected Abuse
Cuyahoga County residents who suspect an older adult is being abused, neglected or exploited can call the Adult Protective Services hotline at (216) 420-6700 or submit a report online through Ohio's state reporting system. Adult Protective Services investigates signs that an older or disabled adult may be unsafe or unable to protect themselves, a role the Cuyahoga County Division of Senior and Adult Services is mandated to carry out for adults 60 and older. If someone is in immediate danger, residents should call local law enforcement first, according to Ohio Elder Justice, before also notifying Adult Protective Services for cases involving adults 60 and older.
