June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Elder Abuse is prevalent in the US and affects 1 in 10 older adults over the age of 60. We’ve covered the basics of elder abuse before on the blog. Today we’re going to focus on what we can all do to prevent elder abuse in our communities.
Support
- Don’t be afraid to report suspected elder abuse to Adult Protective Services at (855) 444-3911
- Check in on caregivers and older adults that you know
- Listen to caregivers and older adults’ needs to recommend resources
Education
- Sharing information about positive aging
- Sharing information about financially planning for/ the true cost of retirement
- Sharing information about planning for the future (e.g., powers of attorney, wills and trusts, etc.)
- Learn the signs of elder abuse
- Keep up to date on popular scams
- A great way to do this is by visiting the MI Attorney General’s website
Resources
- National Center on Elder Abuse (855) 500-3537
- National Elder Fraud Hotline (833) 372-8311
- National Domestic Violence Hotline (800) 799-7233
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (855) 411-2372
Do your part to make Washtenaw County an aging friendly community by taking the Ahead of the Curve Caregiver Training! In under 10 minutes you can learn signs someone may be being abused, why we should look out for the vulnerable members of our community, and how to have that difficult conversation.
