According to Action on Elder Abuse, elder abuse is “a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person.”
Elder abuse is a global social issue which affects the health and human rights of older person to raise the matter and increase awareness about the same World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is observed every year on June 15. The day was Initiated by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and UN World Health Organisation.
The day is observed to help communities around the world in promoting a better understanding of abuse, neglect of older persons by highlighting key factors affecting the elder abuse and neglect.
Virtually all countries according to the UN are “expected to see substantial growth in the number of older persons between 2015 and 2030, and that growth will be faster in developing regions.”
As the numbers of older persons are growing, the amount of elder abuse can be expected to grow with it.
Key facts about Elder Abuse
- The United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution 66/127, designated June 15 as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
- Around 1 in 6 older people experience some form of abuse, a figure higher than previously estimated and predicted to rise as populations age worldwide.
- Rates of abuse may be higher for older people living in institutions than in the community.
- Elder abuse can lead to serious physical injuries and long-term psychological consequences.
- Elder abuse is predicted to increase as many countries are experiencing rapidly ageing populations.
- The global population of people aged 60 years and older will more than double, from 900 million in 2015 to about 2 billion in 2050.
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