World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Recognized In Anne Arundel

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, commemorated annually on June 15, is an effort to unite communities around the world to voice opposition to any form of abuse, neglect and exploitation of elders. WEADD serves as a call-to-action for communities to raise awareness about elder abuse.

“We must respect and value our elders, and ensure that the final years of their lives are the best years,” Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman said. “The work the department of aging and disabilities does to ensure our older residents remain active and engaged in their communities is fantastic, and I commend them for all their efforts to support our older residents and end elder abuse.”

Research suggests that 4 to 6 percent of elderly people sustain some kind of abuse, according to county officials. Experts believe that elder abuse is significantly underreported, in part because many communities lack the social supports that would make it easier for those who experience abuse to report it, according to Anne Arundel County officials. Research suggests that as few as 1 in 14 cases of elder abuse come to the attention of authorities.

"Protecting the rights of our elders is a community-wide responsibility," Karrisa Gouin, director of the county department of aging and disabilities, said. "We recognize this day and every day to both raise awareness and enact prevention so that older adults can live with the dignity and respect they deserve."

There are many ways to strengthen social supports for aging adults through policies, services and programs, Gouin noted:

• Design and equip community centers to work as intergenerational spaces that allow older people to build relationships and participate in the work, play and life of our neighborhoods.
• Think about the role of transportation in reducing social isolation and adjust systems so that we can all continue to move throughout our communities as we age.
• Figure out new and better ways to arrange and coordinate the teams, agencies and programs that work specifically with older people.
• Develop programs to educate families and professionals who work with older adults to understand the importance of preventing isolation, how to spot the warning signs of abuse and what to do to address abuse or neglect.