June is Elder Abuse Awareness month nationwide. According to the 2016 Kentucky Elder Abuse Annual Report through the Department for Community Based Services Cabinet for Health and Family Services, there were 11,400 substantiated reports of abuse or neglect of vulnerable adults aged 60+ from SFY2011-2016. Elder abuse is a crime that thrives in silence and exploits the vulnerabilities of the aging population. Abuse of this nature takes many forms. It can look like a trusted caregiver physically or sexually abusing the person in their care, a worker in a nursing home taking a resident’s valuables or jewelry, or a family member purposefully restricting an older person’s ability to care for themselves or leave their home by withholding necessary mobility devices or medication.  The American Psychological Association (2017) identifies 7 types of elder abuse: physical, sexual, emotional, financial or material exploitation, neglect, abandonment, and self-neglect. All of these leave victims helpless and unable to meet their basic needs.

KASAP affirms the need to bring awareness to this crime. We encourage you to stand in solidarity with survivors of elder abuse and learn more about your role in recognizing and reporting this crime through attendance of training and awareness events taking place throughout the month. You can find some examples below. For more information, please visit the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Department for Community Based Services Elder Abuse Awareness page at http://chfs.ky.gov/dcbs/dpp/eaa/.