World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is an international observance held annually on June 15. It is dedicated to raising awareness about the mistreatment and abuse of older adults. The day aims to promote a better understanding of this issue and encourages individuals, organizations and communities to take action to prevent and address elder abuse.
Elder abuse refers to any act or lack of action that harms or threatens the wellbeing of an older adult. It can take various forms, including physical, emotional or financial abuse, as well as neglect or abandonment. Elder abuse is a violation of human rights and can have devastating physical, psychological and financial consequences for older adults.
Key Facts
Approximately 5 million elders face some form of abuse every year in the United States. However, actual data may be higher because it is estimated only one in every 24 cases of abuse is reported (1).
In the United States, abuse including neglect and exploitation is experienced by one in every ten people ages 60 and older who live at home (2).
Abuse of older adults can lead to serious physical injuries and long-term psychological effects (3).
Women are more likely to be abused than men. The NCVC reported that 66% of elder abuse victims were women (4).
Older adults who have dementia are more at risk, and it is estimated that two out of three dementia patients have been abused (5).
Of the neglect and abuse cases in elderly people, 60% are committed by family members. Adult children or spouses make up two-thirds of the abusers (6).
Sources:
Walker, Sarah. "Elderly Abuse Statistics: It's More Common Than You Think! - RespectCareGivers" Respectcaregivers, 26 Jul. 2022, https://respectcaregivers.org/elderly-abuse-statistics/#:~:text=Key%20Facts%20Of%20Elder%20Abuse%201%20In%20America%2C,victims%20of%20elder%20abuse%20are%20women.%20More%20items.
"Fast Facts: Preventing Elder Abuse |Violence Prevention|Injury Center|CDC" CDC, 2 Jun. 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/elderabuse/fastfact.html.
"Abuse of older people" WHO, 13 Jun. 2022, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/abuse-of-older-people.
"Nursing Home Abuse Statistics | Get the Facts You Need" Nursinghomeabuse, 12 May. 2023, https://www.nursinghomeabuse.org/nursing-home-abuse/statistics/. Accessed 1 Jan. 1970.
“Elder Abuse, The Health Sector Role in Prevention and Response” World Health Organization, 2016, https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/ageing/ea-infographic-en-jun-18-web.pdf?sfvrsn=6dc7f167_2
"Get the Facts on Elder Abuse" NCOA, 23 Feb. 2021, https://www.ncoa.org/article/get-the-facts-on-elder-abuse.