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| Helena S. Mock, Esq. |
Did you know that there is a whole day dedicated to the issue
of Elder Abuse? I find this an extremely
sad state of affairs that we, not just Americans, but all members of the
world’s population feel the need to address issues of abuse, neglect and financial
exploitation of the elderly, which is a problem that is expanding exponentially
within all societies. It is estimated
that each year over 5 million older adults are abused, neglected, or exploited.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) is June 15th. WEAAD was launched in 2016 by the
International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health
Organization at the United Nations with a purpose of providing an opportunity
for communities around the world to promote a better understanding of the
potential for abuse and neglect of older persons and to raise awareness of the
cultural, social, economic and demographic processes affecting elder abuse and
neglect.
Last year, I had the privilege of being part of a workgroup
established by the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services
(DARS) pursuant to House Bill 676. DARS
was delegated the responsibility of evaluating the problems of elder abuse,
neglect, and exploitation within the Commonwealth and making recommendations to
facilitate improvements. Their report is
published http://leg2.state.va.us/DLS/h&sdocs.nsf/5c7ff392dd0ce64d85256ec400674ecb/308d6d4cfc756d1085257fb70061bf45?OpenDocument&Highlight=0,aging,
and is interesting, albeit sad, reading.
Upon review of state Adult Protective Services (APS) data compiled
during fiscal year 2015, the records revealed Virginia victims lost an estimated
$28,226,512 in that fiscal year alone.
As part of its mission, WEAAD provides information on
recognizing and preventing abuse as well as protecting yourself from
abuse. Additional information can be
obtained by visiting the University of Southern California’s Center on Elder
Mistreatment at http://eldermistreatment.usc.edu/. Make a commitment to take some action this
June 15th to help yourself or someone else, or even to just get more
educated. Every small step gets us
closer to making the future brighter for all seniors.
