Fight Against Elder Abuse - At the Movies May 28 through June 24

June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

Fight Against Elder Abuse  -  At the Movies May 28 through June 24

The national aging network works tirelessly to ensure that older Americans remain independent, healthy, and safe in their homes and communities for as long as possible. However, the independence of many seniors is threatened by abusive situations ranging from financial exploitation to severe neglect. A recent national survey revealed that more than one in ten seniors had experienced some type of elder mistreatment during the previous year. 

The consequences of abuse, neglect, and exploitation are grave; and abusive situations challenge all of the network’s efforts to promote the well-being of older adults.  Victims face considerably higher risk for premature death than elders who are not mistreated.  There are tremendous economic costs, as well.  A MetLife report released in 2009 estimates that $2.6 billion are lost annually to elder financial exploitation.  Many seniors are reluctant to admit they’ve been victimized.  Some are unable to ask for help.  Sometimes the abuse, neglect, and exploitation are not recognized by others.  As a result, many suffer in silence. 

However, June provides a unique opportunity for us to raise public awareness of elder abuse and to enlist public support and involvement for our aging services programs, many of which are vital to elder abuse prevention.  June 15th is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), recognized by communities throughout the world as a time to increase our efforts to raise awareness of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.  AoA invites and encourages you to join the international community this year in recognizing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

To assist communities in planning events to observe WEAAD, AoA’s National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) has created the Join Us in the Fight Against Elder Abuse campaign as part of the first-ever nationwide effort to raise awareness of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. A cornerstone of the campaign is the placement of the Elder Abuse Information Piece, a 15 second public service announcement, in movie theaters in major metropolitan areas throughout the country running May 28, 2010 through June 24, 2010.  This Information Piece, with actor and advocate William Mapother of the television show “Lost,” is the same as the one that ran in 2009, and sustains the message that echoed simultaneously throughout the country last year asking viewers to “join us in the fight against elder abuse.”  Click here (http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/NCEAroot/Main_Site/About/Initiatives/doc/Movie_theater_sheet_for_web_and_dissemination.pdf) for a listing of cities and movie theaters showing the information piece this year.

The NCEA has also created a companion Elder Abuse Awareness Information Packet.  The NCEA Elder Abuse Awareness Information Packet provides tip sheets on activities, information about abuse, and other practical information and fact sheets to help organizations prepare for increased public awareness during this time.  Visit the “Join Us” section of the NCEA website (http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/NCEAroot/Main_Site/About/Initiatives/Join_Us_Campaign.aspx) to view and download the materials. 

For questions, comments, or feedback on the Join Us campaign, please email the NCEA at ncea-info@aoa.hhs.gov, or telephone at 302-831-7010.  We hope that you will join the NCEA this year in observing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day!  Together, we have the power to prevent elder abuse.