United Nations World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
Source: qualityaging.com
The UN World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
At the 89th Plenary Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in December of 2011, Resolution 66/127 designated June 15th as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). This day has been set aside for all nations of the world to take a unified stance against the abuse and neglect suffered by senior citizens.
Facts and Stats
Employment and Social Development Canada defines elder abuse as any action by a person in a trusted relationship that causes distress or harm to an older person. Most common forms of elder abuse are psychological, physical, and financial, which may take the form of an isolated incident, or an established pattern of behaviour.[1]
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the global population of those 60 years or older is expected to more than double from 542 million in 1995 to an estimated 1.2 billion by 2025.[2] With populations aging quickly, cases of elder abuse are expected to increase.[3]
Source: cnpea.ca
Bringing Elder Abuse into the Light
In many parts of the world elder abuse is not noticed or acknowledged as a growing social issue, but instead is considered to be a private matter to be handled quietly. Even in today’s world of heightened social consciousness, elder abuse is still viewed as a taboo subject, often ignored in the community. Evidence is growing to indicate that elder abuse is a public health and community concern.[4]
There are many types of elder abuse, including:
Physical Abuse – the use of non-accidental physical force causing physical injury and/or pain
Psychological Abuse – the use of threats, name-calling, intimidation, ridicule, profanity and mental cruelty causing emotional pain
Financial Abuse – the unethical or illegal exploitation of an elderly person’s money, property or assets
Neglect – the failure (passive or active) to provide basic care or services to ensure a safe and healthy life of an adult
Abandonment – the intentional desertion by anyone having a responsibility to provide care
Isolation – the deliberate separation from social connections, preventing individuals from having visitors, or receiving mail or phone calls
Self-Neglect – the failure to provide oneself with shelter, food, water, clothing, and safety
Source: ctvnews.ca
British Columbia Association of Community Response Networks
The British Columbia Association of Community Response Networks (BCCRN) recently reached out to us to design and produce a special flag to spotlight World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. It all began when a community coordinator requested a flag to be flown at City Hall. With 40 flags in their first order, we just learned that one flag has already made its way to the United Kingdom! The Flag Shop thanks the Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse for the work they do to stop elder abuse, and for helping to share the flag with others!
Source: cnpea.ca
The BCCRN grew out of the need to create an on-going, permanent provincial funding and support structure for the benefit of adults facing abuse, neglect, and self-neglect. The association provides project funding, materials, training, support people, and maintains a website to assist its Community Response Networks (CRN). At the local level, CRNs facilitate abuse and neglect prevention and education with stakeholders to end adult abuse in British Columbia.[5]
If you’d like to be counted among the many around the globe who will take a stand against elder abuse, remember to wear purple on June 15th, the colour which is known to symbolize elder abuse awareness, and fly the WEAAD flag. We are thrilled to be the supplier of this flag, so get yours today! For more information and resources about elder abuse awareness, including a Seniors Guidebook to Safety and Security, please visit the RCMP Elder Abuse website.
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Sources:
[1] https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/campaigns/elder-abuse/reality.html#a
[2] [3] http://www.who.int
[4] http://www.un.org/en/events/elderabuse/background.shtml
[5] http://www.bccrns.ca/generated/homepage.php