Take Action to Stop Elder Abuse (IL. USA)

Take action to stop elder abuse

July 8, 2009

For older adults who depend on others to care for them, the world can be a scary place.
Like children who rely on their parents for care and protection, the elderly can have to rely on others to look out for them.

As many as 80,000 fall victim each year in Illinois alone to abuse or exploitation.
Sometimes the pain is physical. Other times it is sexual or emotional. Many times, it is financial.

Sadly, not all of the abuse is from strangers. Many of the cases reported in years past have involved caregivers or even family members.
A lot of it goes unreported, according to Charles D. Johnson, director of the Department on Aging, leaving those 60 and older to suffer in silence. The National Center on Elder Abuse suggests as many as 84 percent of abuse cases are never reported or investigated.
The Illinois Department on Aging is hoping to change that by highlighting the problem during an awareness campaign this month. Elder Abuse Awareness Month will draw attention to the growing situation by urging people to watch for signs of abuse and then “break the silence” that keeps so many cases hidden.

Do something.
Break the silence.

Abridged

SOURCE: Jacksonville Journal-Courier - Jacksonville,IL,USA

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