World Elder Abuse Awareness Day educates public about human rights issue

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA)- Wednesday is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. It’s an opportunity to get a better understanding of what abuse and neglect of an elderly person looks like.

About one in 10 Americans over the age of 60 have experienced some form of Elder Abuse, according to the National Council on Aging. Some estimates range as high as five million elders who are abused each year.

Elder abuse includes physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, exploitation, neglect, and abandonment. The abusers often include children, other family members, and spouses, as well as staff at nursing homes, assisted living, and other facilities.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is about raising awareness about the significance of elder abuse as a public health and human rights issue. Get the facts on elder abuse from the National Council on Aging at ncoa.org/article/get-the-facts-on-elder-abuse.

A new Alabama Elder Justice Center will officially open Wednesday, dedicated to protecting the elderly from abuse. The Elder Justice Center of Alabama will officially open its doors in Montevallo at 10:00 a.m. Learn more about the Alabama Department of Senior Service’s fight against Elder Abuse at bamaageline.gov/elder-abuse/

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