Today is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

Observe World Elder Abuse Awareness Day by watching An Age for Justice, a documentary film by Witness, free at www.mmLearn.org . Simply go to the website, click An Age for Justice and follow the prompts. You’ll be asked for your zip code. Then click on continue.

Watch An Age for Justice on your personal computer. Set up a projector and laptop with internet connectivity, and show it to a group—or just gather your family around your home computer.

Awareness is the first step in identifying and preventing elder abuse. Pass this information on to colleagues, family and friends. It’s a simple action you can take and be part of change in protecting older adults.

Here are ten important reasons for you to watch An Age for Justice and to pass the link on to others.

1. Nearly five million cases of elder abuse occur each year, but 85% go unreported.  
2. The typical victim of elder abuse is a woman over 75 who lives alone.
3. Some 14,000 allegations of abuse, neglect or gross negligence are reported in nursing homes.  
4. Close to 50% of those with dementia experience some form of abuse.
5. Elders who have been abused have a 300% higher risk of death when compared to those who are not mistreated.
6. Elder financial abuse costs older Americans more than $2.6 billion per year.
7. Family, friends, caregivers and neighbors are the culprits in financial abuse cases more than half the time.
8. Less than 2% of federal abuse prevention dollars go to elder mistreatment efforts. 91% is spent on child abuse and 7% on domestic abuse.  
9. Financial abuse accounts for nearly 21% of the allegations of mistreatment investigated by Adult Protective Services.
10. By 2030, the numbers of older Americans over age 85 – those most at risk for abuse – will more than double.