Today is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, sponsored by The International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse.
Today, communities and municipalities will make proclamations declaring June 15, 2010 as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) and hold events designed to raise their communities’ awareness of elder abuse. The first Awareness Day in 2006 involved several hundred organizations and governmental bodies at international, national, regional, local, community and neighborhood level, in every continent in the world.
The day is in support of the United Nations International Plan of Action which recognizes the significance of elder abuse as a public health and human rights issue. Governments, non-governmental organizations, educational institutions, religious groups, professionals in the field of aging, interested individuals as well as older persons themselves will promote a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older persons by organizing activities around the world to raise awareness of the cultural, social, economic and demographic processes affecting elder abuse and neglect.
Raising awareness of elder abuse and neglect is a challenge and no effort is too small. To learn more, and to download a free copy of the Community Guide World Day Tool Kit, please visit www.inpea.net/weaad.html.
