Every year on June 15, communities around the world join
together to raise awareness of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. World Elder
Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) is an opportunity to renew our commitment
to preserving the rights of older adults – including the basic human right
to live with dignity, free from abuse and neglect.
As we confront the COVID-19 virus, and the physical distancing
measures necessary to slow its spread, we know that social isolation
increases older adults’ risk of experiencing abuse, neglect, and
exploitation. We also know fraudsters are taking advantage of this crisis
with new scams.
This makes WEAAD’s vision of “stronger supports for older adults” more
important than ever before.
We hope you will join us in commemorating WEAAD, perhaps in
new and creative ways. ACL, the National Center on Elder Abuse, and our
federal partners have developed a WEAAD
toolkit that includes fact sheets, sample articles and
proclamations, graphics, sample social media content, and more to help you
get involved.
We also hope you will share your ideas and stories with us.
Specifically, we would like to know what your community is doing to ensure
older adults are socially connected while practicing physical distancing.
E-mail us at aclinfo@acl.hhs.gov.
Stay tuned to ACL's listserv, and our Facebook and Twitter pages, for more information and
resources over the coming weeks, including details on the next meeting of the Elder Justice Coordinating
Council, which will take place on June 10 at 9:30am ET.
The virtual meeting will bring together leaders from across the federal
government to discuss strategies for advancing elder justice in the wake of
the coronavirus pandemic.
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