Loneliness can make older people more vulnerable to abuse.
Make an effort to visit, call, or video chat with your older loved ones often. Encourage them to join community groups, attend social events, or participate in online activities to stay connected and engaged.
Understanding what elder abuse looks like can help you spot it early.
Look out for unexplained injuries, sudden changes in their financial situation, withdrawal from activities they usually enjoy, or poor hygiene.
Share this information with friends and family to create a watchful and caring community.
Financial abuse is common.
Help older adults manage their money safely by offering support with setting up automatic bill payments, checking bank statements, and involving a trusted person in financial decisions.
Be aware of scams and share information about common tricks used by fraudsters.
Through Older People’s Associations (OPAs), the HelpAge global network supports millions of older people around the world by amplifying their voices and promoting their rights.
OPAs are grassroots organisations run by and for older people. One key initiative of OPAs is Older Citizen Monitoring (OCM) mechanisms, which:
Additionally, OCM monitor violence, abuse and neglect of older people, while OPAs actively work to raise awareness about these issues among their older members.
It’s important to respect the decisions of older adults.
Encourage them to make their own choices and support their independence.
Make sure they have a say in their care plans, daily activities and financial choices. Empowering them boosts their confidence and helps prevent abuse.
Caregivers can sometimes be the abusers.
If the older person is able to pay for care, encourage them to do thorough background checks and regularly check in on how the care is going.
Be mindful of signs that the caregiver is stressed or burnt out and help them to access support, as caregiver stress may increase the likelihood of abusive behaviour.
Understand the legal rights of older adults in your area and advocate for stronger protections and laws against elder abuse.
Encourage the use of legal tools like durable powers of attorney and living wills to ensure their wishes are respected and they are protected.
If you suspect elder abuse, don’t stay silent.
Report it to local adult protective services, law enforcement, or a trusted healthcare provider.
Acting quickly can prevent further harm and ensure the older person gets the help they need.
Keeping our older loved ones safe from abuse is something we can all contribute to.
This World Elder Abuse Awareness Day let’s create a safer environment for them.
Let’s work together to ensure older people live with the dignity and respect they deserve, and their rights are upheld.
Take part in our #RefuseToAbuse pledge on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
Let’s flood social media with pledges from around the world that make it very clear that there is no excuse for elder abuse.
