Usually during the Summertime things calm down for professionals, but there has been no resting for elder abuse advocates throughout the country.   Every day, experts across the field including law enforcement, doctors, social workers, lawyers, accountants, case workers – along with friends and family of the abused – are called upon to fight against the injustice of elder abuse.

Below are just a few highlights of recent ways people fighting elder abuse came together over the Summer to raise awareness of this silent epidemic and find new ways to help older adults experiencing abuse:

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

On June 15, 2019 World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) was celebrated by professionals and the public alike across the globe.  Events were held throughout all 50 states!

People dressed in purple, the official color of elder abuse, planted purple flowers, and landmarks and bridges were lit in purple around the world.  Members of the public were invited to submit art representing positive aspects of aging.  

Conferences were also convened for professionals at the national and local levels to mark the occasion, including for Adult Protective Services workers who are some of the most important front-line fighters against elder abuse.

Please contact us if you have ideas for ways to celebrate WEAAD 2020!

New York City Elder Abuse Conference

Also in June, the NYC Elder Abuse Conference, one of the largest in the country, hosted over 300 elder abuse professionals from New York and beyond.  This year’s theme was “Making a Measurable Difference” with a focus on improving strategies to recognize, intervene and prevent elder abuse. 

Elderabuse.org board member Dr. David Burnes gave the conference Keynote Address on how professionals can work with elder abuse victims to empower them to find safety on their own terms. 

Other conference topics included the criminal justice system, trauma informed practices and financial elder abuse.  Philip C. Marshall, prominent elder abuse advocate grandson of elder abuse victim Brooke Astor, co-presented the workshop “Family, Friends and Neighbors in the Lives of Elder Abuse Victims: A Population of Concern and Promise.”

For ways to get involved, please visit our ‘How to Help’ page.

To learn more about developing a safety plan for yourself or a loved one, please visit the Elder Abuse Safety Plan.

For additional resources on Elder Abuse, please visit our friends at the USC Center on Elder Mistreatment and the Eldercare Locator.