Spotlight PA is proud to announce the release of "Unprotected: Inside PA's Broken System for Protecting Older Adults," a new mini-documentary examining failures to protect vulnerable Pennsylvanians from abuse and neglect, which can have devastating consequences.
Based on months of investigative reporting, the documentary reveals how for years, many of Pennsylvania's 52 county agencies responsible for protecting older adults failed to swiftly investigate complaints of suspected abuse or neglect — sometimes even in emergencies.
At the same time, far greater numbers of older Pennsylvanians have been dying with open abuse and neglect investigations. In 2023 alone, that number was more than 1,500 people.
"Unprotected" traces the meticulous work of Spotlight PA investigative reporter Angela Couloumbis as she tells the stories behind the statistics, including families who pleaded for help for months only to lose loved ones while bureaucratic delays and dysfunction left them waiting.
The documentary explores how state regulators rarely imposed sanctions on failing agencies, how critical data tracking deaths during investigations was quietly halted, and how whistleblowers inside the state government have been raising alarms for years.
"Unprotected," voiced and produced by veteran investigative TV journalist Mitch Blacher, is part of Spotlight PA's ongoing commitment to independent, unbiased journalism that drives real change for Pennsylvanians. You can view the documentary above, or watch it at any time here.
In the coming months, Spotlight PA will be screening the documentary throughout the state. If you’re interested in hosting a screening, you can reach out to us here. If you want to support this work, your tax-deductible gift now will be doubled as part of our year-end member drive.
To go deeper into this award-winning investigation, below are stories from the “Unprotected” series so far:
December 2025: Deaths of older Pennsylvanians during abuse, neglect probes would be subject to mandatory reviews under new bill
October 2025: Shapiro admin shields key data used to gauge elder abuse system failures
August 2025: Whistleblower says Shapiro admin retaliated after he raised alarms about elder abuse system failures
August 2025: State delays new contract with extra accountability measures for Pa. elder abuse agencies
June 2025: New performance assessments for Pa. elder abuse agencies will mask ongoing failures, critics fear
April 2025: Records reveal Shapiro admin stopped tracking why older adults die during abuse, neglect investigations
March 2025: More elder abuse transparency, accountability is coming as Shapiro admin denies 'crisis'
February 2025: Deaths during elder abuse investigations rose in Pa.'s largest city as state regulators took no punitive action
February 2025: Ailing Pa. woman died after months of pleas for help, a victim of a safety net in tatters
October 2024: Breaking rules intended to keep Pa.'s older adults safe is rarely met with state sanctions
October 2024: State agency didn't disclose complete info on county compliance with elder abuse rules
July 2024: What you need to know about Pa.'s slow elder abuse investigations