United Nations Plan of Action
In addition to raising awareness around the world, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is also in support of the United Nations International Plan of Action which acknowledges the significance of elder abuse as an issue which is important to both public health and human rights. WEAAD serves as a call to action for communities, organizations, and individuals to raise awareness about the topic of abuse, exploitation, and neglect of the elderly which sadly is reported to elder law attorneys such as Garcia Law an average of 5 million times per year.
The Issue of Elder Abuse
According to statistics, around 5 million reported cases of elder abuse, exploitation, or neglect take place in America alone each year. But, that may well not be the full picture – experts believe that for each case of elder abuse reported, around twenty-three go unreported. With so many older people being victims and potential victims of this awful crime, WEAAD exists as a method of addressing it by uniting together. Partnered with the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA), the Administration for Community Living (ACL) encourages individuals, organizations, and communities across the nation totake part in World Elder Abuse Awareness Day in order to take a stand and raise more public awareness about this complex issue. ACL firmly believes that your voice can speak out against issues such as ageism, combat elder isolation, and raise more awareness for families of elder people who are suffering abuse and/or neglect at the hands of others.
How to Get Involved
If you are hoping to get involved with WEAAD whether as an individual, organization or community, there are many different ways in which you can do so. One of the most popular ways of getting involved with World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is through volunteering, something which can be done both on June 15 and every other day of the year. Making a commitment to volunteer to help older people, such as in a nursing home or even helping older adults in their own homes, for example doing grocery shopping for them, can definitely go a long way. Getting involved with the older adults in your community can also help you to look out for any signs of abuse or neglect amongst elderly people in your local area. Other great ways of raising awareness include donating to charities which deal with the care of the elderly, for example taking part in a charity event or sponsored activity.
With so many older people suffering from elder abuse, it’s everybody’s job to look out for them.
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