Today Is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day -
Here's What You Can Do to Prevent It
The right people, doing the right things,
the right way, for the right reasons.
Right at Home.
Today is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. It may be hard to imagine but elder abuse occurs every day. Elder abuse can take many forms, from neglect and abandonment to financial, emotional, physical or sexual abuse.
Elderly people are particularly vulnerable to abuse and to being unable to defend themselves and get help as fear and infirmity can be major barriers to seeking and getting help. Sometimes spotting and challenging abuse in the elderly isn’t easy.
Seniors who are targeted more are those who are isolated or lonely, who have recently suffered a loss, or who have exhibited decreased mental and physical abilities.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) was launched on June 15, 2006 by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations (UN). WEAAD aims to provide an opportunity for communities around the world to promote a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older persons by raising awareness of the cultural, social, economic, and demographic processes affecting elder abuse and neglect.
Here are things you can do now:
- Know the physical (bruising, weight loss, dehydration and poor hygiene) signs of abuse, as well as the emotional (mood changes, anxiety and agitation) signs of abuse.
- Document any signs of abuse in a loved one, friend or neighbor that you may observe and report them to the appropriate authority.
- Make others aware of the importance of protecting our elders and senior citizens against any type of abuse.
- If a family member or neighbor lives alone, check in frequently to make sure they are alright and are not being mistreated financially, emotionally or physically by anyone.
And remember always that if you see something, say something! After having given love, friendship, care and service to us their entire lives, we owe our elderly and senior citizens dignity, compassion, protection and the best care possible.
If you or your loved one needs help with activities of daily living (bathing, dressing and meal preparation) or if you feel that your loved one would benefit from having a companion or home health aide visit with and take care of them whether they live at home or reside in an assisted living facility, please call Beth Sholom, Owner/Executive Director of Right at Home of Central New Jersey to let us know how we can help you and your family. We can provide care from a few hours a day to overnight shifts to live-in care. We'll work with you to come up with the best plan for your family and always be available 24/7 to help you. We will care for your family as we would our own!
About Right at Home of Central New Jersey – Right at Home offers in-home companionship and personal care and assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently. The Right at Home of Central New Jersey office is a locally owned and operated franchise office of Right at Home, Inc., serving the communities of Middlesex and Northern Monmouth Counties.
For more information, contact Right at Home of Central New Jersey at
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.