As we age we become vulnerable. We begin to doubt our memories, our bodies are not as reliable as they used to be, and technological advances outstrip our abilities to keep up with them. With this vulnerability comes the opportunity for abuse.
Unfortunately, elder abuse is becoming more and more common, both physically and financially. Seniors are a growing class of individuals with money in savings or retirement, and there is no shortage of scam artists looking to take advantage of them financially. The truly sad fact is that most financial elder abuse is committed by someone close to the victim, a person in whom they have placed their trust. In such cases, the abuse may not be pre-meditated, but that in no way makes the abuse acceptable.
The good news is that there are ways to guard against elder abuse; and one of the best ways to guard against it is to be aware of it. June 15th is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, and we urge our readers to participate and find out how they can learn more about this issue.
To learn more about the warning signs and risk factors, and what you can do to help prevent elder abuse, click here. If you think that someone you know may be the victim of elder abuse, either physically or financially, you can help. The National Center on Elder Abuse has a help hotline, as well as a list of warning signs, and community outreach opportunities.