June 15: World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

This week, organizations around the country and throughout the world participated in World Elder Abuse Awareness Day – a day that takes place each year on June 15 in hopes of educating the public regarding elder abuse, nursing home abuse, and elder neglect.

While we certainly hope that our efforts to end elder abuse and senior neglect in Texas are not focused on one single day of the year, we do think that this day is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the mistreatment of seniors and to teach other what we know. Unfortunately, only an estimated 16 percent of elder abuse is ever reported and approximately 3.5 million people are affected by elder abuse each year in America. While some elder abuse can take place at home and within families (a form of domestic violence) a large amount of elder abuse takes place in nursing homes and adult care facilities.

On World Elder Abuse Awareness Day this year in Dallas, talk to your friends and family about elder abuse, elder abuse warning signs, and elder abuse prevention. And check in on the seniors in your life to make sure that they are living healthy, safe lives.