Resources and information from the UCI School of Medicine Center of Excellence on Elder Abuse and Neglect, the USC Center for Elder Mistreatment, and the National Center on Elder Abuse.
Today is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEEAD). The International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations launched the first WEAAD on June 15, 2006 in an effort to unite communities around the world in raising awareness about elder abuse.
Elder abuse is widespread, and older adults living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias are especially vulnerable. According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, every year an estimated 1 in 10 older Americans are victims of elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation. And that’s only part of the picture: Experts believe that elder abuse is significantly under-reported, in part because so many of our communities lack the social supports that would make it easier for those who experience abuse to report it. Research suggests that as few as 1 in 14 cases of elder abuse come to the attention of authorities.
The good news is that we can prevent and address the issue of elder abuse, starting by educating ourselves and others on the signs and resources available in our local communities. To learn more, visit the resources linked above and view the following presentation by Dr. Laura Mosqueda from our 28th Annual SoCal Alzheimer’s Disease Research Conference:
