World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is celebrated on 15 June all over the globe as an awareness initiative. On this day, every year, the world commemorates World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
This day aims to raise awareness about the plight of elderly people who are abused and harmed. The primary goal is to develop a better understanding of elder abuse and neglect by raising awareness about the cultural, social, economic, and demographic factors that influence such abuse and neglect.
Elder abuse is rarely addressed or investigated. It is an increasingly significant problem in our culture. There are differences in the instances of elder abuse, and there's a lack of a countrywide, consistent reporting system.
The National Center on Elder Abuse classifies elder abuse into seven categories – physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, financial/material exploitation, neglect, abandonment, and self-neglect.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2022: Theme
The theme for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2022 is 'Digital Equity for All Ages.'
As per the statistics and incidents reported, adult children and family members are the leading abusers of elderly people, and violence against elders happens mostly at home.
Family stress (psychological and financial) is a contributing factor of elder abuse. Exposure to this type of aggression in the family can affect the children negatively. Children exposed to violence as the intended target or as witnesses to violence are at a risk of developing behavioural issues and subsequently become perpetrators of aggressiveness and violence themselves.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2022: Quotes
"The wiser mind mourns less for what age takes away than what it leaves behind." – William Wordsworth
“The tragedy of old age is not that one is old, but that one is young.” – Oscar Wilde
“One person caring about another represents life’s greatest value.” – Jim Rohn
“The greatest discovery of my generation is that man can alter his life simply by altering his attitude.” – James Truslow Adams
“About the only thing that comes without effort is old age.” – Anonymous
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2022: History
In 1978, SAGE and the Advocacy and Services for LGBT elders were established.
In 1983, the first book on elder abuse, Abuse and Maltreatment of the Elderly: Causes and Interventions, was published.
In 1988, the US Administration on Aging established the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA).
In 2003, a group of UCI professors created the nation’s first-ever Elder Abuse Forensic Center
The World Elder Abuse Awareness Day was officially recognised by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2011. The UN General Assembly passed a resolution (66/127) following a request by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA), which was first established for the commemoration in June 2006.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2022: Significance
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day aims to educate people about the injustices faced by the elderly population in the world, whether verbal, physical, or emotional. Elders are esteemed in many societies and their lives, experiences, memories, and perspectives are treasured, and we look up to them for life lessons.
Research shows that four to six percent of elderly people experience some kind of abuse, the majority of which are not even reported. This day ensures that our elders lead a life of high quality and dignity.
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