Millions of elderly individuals are abused, exploited and neglected each year, and more than two-thirds of cases go unreported, according to the Administration for Community Living (ACL). The United Nations (UN) anticipates that the global senior population (age 60 and older) will reach to more than one billion by the year 2025. Incidences of elder abuse are expected to rise as the global population ages. Elder abuse can happen to anyone–even you.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEEAD) was established in June 2006 by the UN’s World Health Organization and the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA). The purpose was to give communities an opportunity to increase awareness and promote understanding of elder abuse by educating people about the cultural, demographic, economic and social factors that affect elder abuse.

On June 15th every year, municipalities and communities world-wide plan and participate in programs and activities in observance of WEAAD, which include:

  • Educational programs
  • Press conferences
  • Submitting press releases about elder abuse to local newspapers to raise awareness
  • Volunteering to call or visit an isolated senior

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is an opportunity to get informed and spread the word about elder abuse. Raising awareness of elder abuse should not be limited to just one day, however. It should be a never-ending ongoing endeavor.