Building Strong Support for the Elderly
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) is observed on June 15 each year. The purpose of WEAAD is to provide an opportunity for communities around the world to promote a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older persons. In truth, there are organizations, agencies, and people in our community who work every day to raise awareness about elder abuse, financial exploitation, support for older victims of crime, information on how to pursue civil or criminal action if appropriate, and on finding safe housing for those who need it. However, without the support of friends, family, clergy, community, and YOU, prevention of elder abuse is just out of grasp.
One in 10 Americans, aged 60 and over, has experienced abuse. Half of people living with dementia, have experienced abuse or neglect, across all socioeconomic, cultural, or racial groups. Ageist policies and practices make it harder to stay connected with one’s communities as we age. One’s deteriorating health can be a further contributing factor to instances of elder abuse. We can bring about change by openly discussing mistreatment, identifying elderly abuse when it happens, developing solutions and communicating them to a broader audience that includes students and young people and challenges injustice and ageist stereotypes.
This Fact Sheet and Video can help YOU get that conversation started, whatever your age!
We encourage YOU to learn to identify the signs* of elder mistreatment and to intervene early.
(*Fact sheet on the signs of elder abuse in English and Spanish.)
The emotional and behavioral signs of elder abuse include increased fear or anxiety, isolation from friends, family or community, and changes in regular behavior or sleep.
Physical signs of abuse include dehydration, weight loss, unexplained injuries, unattended medical needs or missing medications* or appointments.
*Missing medications: a correlation has been identified between elder mistreatment and the opioid crisis. There are increasing reports of opioid misuse by older adults and adult children stealing medications. To learn more about this issue and learn tips to reduce opioid-related elder abuse check out this Fact Sheet.)
The indicators for financial exploitation can include unpaid bills, unusual banking transactions, transfer of property and fake signatures on documents.
Together, we can make a difference in the lives of older adults and build a better future for each of us as we experience the privilege of growing older.
Happy June!