(PLEASANT HILL, Calif.) — NEWS: Today, Leading Bay Area nonprofit, Empowered Aging announces the launch of their Elder Abuse Awareness campaign, ‘See Me. Hear Me.™’ This movement is designed to shed light on the vulnerability of older adults and adults with disabilities living in long-term care facilities and in the community. For the month of June, the organization will be sharing stories of the people behind the cases that the Empowered Aging team takes on while preserving privacy.
“Our mission here at Empowered Aging is to ensure older adults and adults with disabilities are seen and heard every single day,” said executive director Susannah Meyer. “This campaign is a testament to our person-centered advocacy and education that our programs offer in response to the critical issues of abuse and neglect our elders face.”
According to research by the National Center on Elder Abuse, approximately one in ten Americans aged 60 and older have experienced some sort of elder abuse. They also estimate that nearly five million elders are abused each year. In another report, they share that only one in twenty-four elder abuse cases are reported to authorities. A 2009 report to the California State Senate Office of Oversight and Outcomes stated that 13% of all complaints to the CA Office of the State Long Term Care Ombudsman involved abuse, gross neglect, or exploitation – more than twice the national rate of 5%.
“With the dramatically rising numbers of the older adult population, and the growing demand for related resources and direct care support, we are concerned that more needs to be done to address the increased risk for elder and dependent adult abuse and neglect,” Meyer continued. “As we work to expand our reach and the Empowered Aging team prepares to meet the rising needs further protecting the vulnerable population we serve, my team and I challenge everyone to join us by helping to raise awareness and bring the fight against abuse of older adults and adults with disabilities out of the shadows.”
For more information about the See Me. Hear Me. campaign, please visit https://empoweredaging.org/seemehearme.
If you would like to request a paddle to have your quote and photo featured, please send an email to tiffanyheard@empoweredaging.org.
See Me. Hear Me. Campaign Launch Video: https://youtu.be/G9fvS-lX0s8.
About Empowered Aging:
For over 50 years, Empowered Aging has provided critical, high-quality advocacy on behalf of residents living in long-term care through its Ombudsman programs. During those years, the organization has also evolved to meet the needs of our time that impact a vulnerable and vastly diverse senior community.
Today, Empowered Aging is uniting individuals, organizations, and communities together around a common mission, a shared vision, and a path forward to a stronger, more equitable journey in aging. The nonprofit’s services and scope of work now additionally provides a Masters in Social Work Internship Program, Elder Justice and Friendly Visiting/Telephone Reassurance programs in Solano County, and the Healthcare Career Pathway (HCP) program – launched in Contra Costa County and recognized by the Governor as a pilot program of the Master Plan for Aging. HCP is currently expanding state-wide through a grant from the California Department of Health Care Access and Information to address the State’s direct care workforce crisis.
While our organization has transformed over the years to address the challenges and changes in the world, one thing remains the same: our focus on improving and strengthening the lives of our elders.
To learn more about Empowered Aging, visit https://empoweredaging.org.
REF:
https://ncea.acl.gov/What-We-Do/Research/Statistics-and-Data.aspx#prevalence
Related link: https://empoweredaging.org/
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