According to the best available estimates, approximately 700,000 to 3.5 million older Americans are abused, neglected, or exploited each year.
Unfortunately, that number may likely increase as the baby boomers age into elders, and more elderly are forced to move in with their adult children.
In November 2007 I shot some PSA’s (Public Service Announcements) for the KY Cabinet on Health & Family Services to help raise awareness of the issue in some small way. (A link to all of them is here, and an earlier blog post is here.) It was uncertain where and when the PSA’s would be shown.
But I’m happy to report the hard-working National Center on Elder Abuse has found a terrific use for them: From May 22 to June 18 one of my PSA’s will precede movie trailers on over 700 movie screens in more than 50 theatres around the country.
This is a fast, effective means of educating lots of people at once and hopefully moving awareness of elder abuse to the mainstream, where it belongs. Great work by the NCEA to reach people who can’t change the channel. : )
One last thing: Witness, the human rights advocacy org founded by Peter Gabriel, has posted the PSA here in their piece on Elder Justice.
Please educate yourself about this issue. The NCEA has simple FAQs here, and you can subscribe to their newsletter here.
Finally, and most importantly, if you suspect any abuse of the elderly, please report it to law enforcement immediately. Our elders deserve better.
