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Complaint over an older adult’s rights (OPPEA)

Last reviewed: August 14, 2026 — VerifiedOPPEA

In short

The Office of the Advocate for Older Adults, created by Act No. 203 of 7 August 2004, has an Auxiliary Office for Protection and Defence charged with receiving, handling, processing and investigating complaints about acts and omissions that violate the rights of older adults. What distinguishes it is what it can do afterwards: it has the power to order corrective action against any natural or legal person, or agency, that denies, obstructs, violates or harms those rights, and to investigate on its own initiative, hold administrative hearings and carry out ocular inspections. If the person lives in a care home or establishment, there is also the Long-Term Care Ombudsman.

External link

Go to the official site

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www.oppea.pr.gov

What is it?

OPPEA is the agency that safeguards the rights of older adults in Puerto Rico. Its Auxiliary Office for Protection and Defence is the unit that handles complaints and the one that can order what is wrong to be corrected. Two named programmes also operate within OPPEA: the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programme, aimed at protecting the rights of older adults living in long-term care establishments; and PROVIEN, the Assistance Programme for Older Adults who are Victims of Crime, subsidised by the Department of Justice. The agency also has an Office of Examining Officers that holds administrative hearings, whose resolutions are subject to judicial review.

Who can do it?

The Office handles complaints about acts and omissions that violate older adults’ rights and deny them the benefits and opportunities they are entitled to. The Long-Term Care Ombudsman is described as aimed at those living in long-term care establishments, substitute homes or any entity providing direct care services to adults over 60 for 24 hours a day. OPPEA does not publish on these pages who may file the complaint or whether you must be the affected person, so this guide does not assert it: ask when you call.

Requirements

Documents you need

This list describes what is usually requested. It has not yet been confirmed with the official agency.

Cost

Check the current cost with the official agency.

Step by step

  1. Step 1: If there is danger now, call 9-1-1

    An administrative complaint is a process, not an immediate intervention. If the person is in danger right now, that is the call to make. The rest comes afterwards.

  2. Step 2: Choose the right door

    OPPEA has three. For a rights violation generally, the Auxiliary Office for Protection and Defence. If the person lives in a long-term care establishment, a substitute home or any entity giving 24-hour direct care to people over 60, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman is the specific programme. And if they were the victim of a crime, PROVIEN is the assistance programme.

  3. Step 3: Call and describe the act or the omission

    The San Juan switchboard is (787) 721-6121, and OPPEA also publishes (787) 841-1180, (787) 866-6971 and (787) 986-7105. The Protection and Defence unit has the email protecciónydefensa@oppea.pr.gov. Be clear on what happened, when, who was involved and what is being denied to the person: the Office handles omissions as well as acts, so “they are not looking after her” is as reportable as active mistreatment.

  4. Step 4: Know what the agency can do

    It is not only taking note. The Office has the power to order corrective action against any natural or legal person, or agency, that denies, obstructs, violates or harms older adults’ rights and benefits. It conducts investigations on its own initiative or arising from complaints, holds administrative hearings and carries out ocular inspections.

  5. Step 5: If there is a hearing, there is a resolution and a review

    The Office of Examining Officers holds administrative hearings in cases and complaints that warrant them, giving the parties an opportunity to be heard under due process of law. With the findings in a report, the Advocate issues a Resolution. That Resolution is subject to judicial review if either party considers it necessary. That office’s extension is 1349 or 1381 on (787) 721-6121.

Where to do it

Before OPPEA. San Juan switchboard: (787) 721-6121. OPPEA also publishes (787) 841-1180, (787) 866-6971 and (787) 986-7105. The Auxiliary Office for Protection and Defence can be reached at protecciónydefensa@oppea.pr.gov, and the Office of Examining Officers on extensions 1349 and 1381 of (787) 721-6121. The services directory is on oppea.pr.gov.

How long it takes

Check the current processing time with the official agency.

What to do if something goes wrong

If there is immediate danger, 9-1-1 comes first and none of this replaces it. If the person is in a care home, mention the Long-Term Care Ombudsman from the outset: that programme visits establishments, coordinates services and represents residents’ interests before government agencies. If they were also the victim of a crime, PROVIEN offers primary assistance and direct help, crisis intervention, channelling the case through the courts, coordinating transport to a hospital, police station or court, searching for emergency shelter and counselling referrals. If the problem is with a Police employee, that is a separate complaint. If it is against a health plan or health provider, the Patient Advocate is a different office and has its own guide here. OPPEA does not publish on these pages a filing deadline, the evidence required, whether the complaint can be anonymous, or how long an investigation takes, so this guide asserts none of those: ask when you call. PRFácil does not file complaints, does not represent anyone and gives no legal advice.

Common mistakes

  • Using an administrative complaint when the person is in immediate danger instead of calling 9-1-1.
  • Thinking the agency only takes note, when it can order corrective action and inspect.
  • Not mentioning the Long-Term Care Ombudsman when the person lives in a care establishment.
  • Not knowing PROVIEN exists when the older person was the victim of a crime.
  • Reporting only active mistreatment: omissions — what is not done — are also complainable.
  • Turning up without dates or names, which is what makes investigation possible.

Frequently asked questions

Can OPPEA actually do something, or only take note?

The Auxiliary Office for Protection and Defence has the power to order corrective action against any natural or legal person, or agency, that denies, obstructs, violates or harms older adults’ rights and benefits. It also investigates on its own initiative, holds administrative hearings and carries out ocular inspections.

My father is in a care home. Who do I call?

OPPEA’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman. The programme is aimed at protecting the rights of older adults living in long-term care establishments, substitute homes or any entity providing direct care to people over 60 for 24 hours a day, and its functions include visiting those establishments and representing residents’ interests before government agencies.

What happens after the hearing?

The examining officers set out the findings in a report and the Advocate issues a Resolution adjudicating the dispute. That Administrative Resolution is subject to judicial review, should either party consider it necessary.

Official sources

These are the government pages this guide is based on.

Last verified

August 14, 2026

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