Commemorating World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

• Pages: 74-74
• Date: 01 May 2025
• Published date: 01 May 2025
• Author: Erica Costello

Bifocal 46 Issue 5

74

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD)

is commemorated each year on June 15th in

recognition of the millions of older adults

who experience abuse, neglect, and nancial exploita-

tion. According to the World Health Organization, it

is estimated that as many as one in six people, ages 60

and older, experienced some form of abuse in a com-

munity setting in the past year, which is only expected

to increase as the global population of older people

increases to about 2 billion in 2050.

To honor WEAAD this year, the Commission on Law

and Aging (COLA) developed a series of short we-

binars to provide older adults and their families with

information and resources on common issues in elder

abuse. The webinars raise awareness of the growing

problem of elder abuse and promote a better under-

standing of issues as it aects people throughout the

world. For example, panelists Jennifer Spoeri, of the

National Adult Protective Services Associa-

tion, and Lori Mars, of the National Center on

Elder Abuse, discuss the history of WEAAD

and important interventions for elder abuse.

COLA’s webinars for WEAAD also provide

valuable information to older adults and

family members. Panelists Eric Drogin, Chair

of COLA, and Ron Long, Liaison of COLA,

discuss common scams targeting older adults

and provided ways that people could ght

back against these scams. Similarly, Mary Jane

Ciccarello, of the Borchard Center on Law &

Aging, Lisa Nerenberg, of the California Elder

Justice Coalition, Carol Sewell, of the Califor-

nia Elder Justice Coalition, and Jessica Brock,

of COLA, discuss innovations in elder justice,

including current systemic responses to elder

abuse.

The WEAAD webinars further provide infor-

mation on legal topics and services within the

eld of elder justice. Commissioners Sandra

Glazier and Micah Hall discuss the top ten

takeaways of undue inuence when working

with clients. Malya Levin, of the Weinberg

Center for Elder Justice, also provides information

on elder justice shelters as a resource for older adults

experiencing abuse.

A link to the WEAAD webinars can be found on our

webpage. Feel free to check out this information and

share it among your colleagues and others who may

be interested. Also, please consider joining COLA’s

Leadership Circle to help us continue to bring import-

ant and impactful programs like the WEAAD webinar

series to the public. We appreciate your support in

commemorating WEAAD and recognizing the global

response of protecting the rights, dignity, and autono-

my of older adults throughout the world.

Commemorating World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

By Erica Costello, Associate Director/ Chief Counsel

American Bar Association, Commission on Law and Aging

Director’s Column