World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is June 15
Join OVC in commemorating World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on Monday, June 15, 2020. This annual commemoration is a call-to-action for individuals, organizations, and communities to raise awareness about elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation.
To commemorate World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, OVC reaffirms its commitment to supporting victims of elder abuse.
Consider participating in virtual events for your own commemoration.
The Elder Justice Initiative at the U.S. Department of Justice invites you to join a webinar to recognize law enforcement during a World Elder Abuse Awareness Day virtual celebration on Thursday, June 18, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. eastern time. Register for the Lifting Up Voices: Law Enforcement World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Celebration webinar.
Visit the OVC calendar to learn about other virtual events.
You can also participate in on demand trainings during World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Through the OVC Training and Technical Assistance Center (OVC TTAC), OVC hosted a series of Elder Justice Initiative recorded webinars which provide important information for prosecutors, victim specialists, law enforcement, and others working on elder abuse cases.
Register for three OVC TTAC trainings.
- Online Elder Abuse Training for Legal Service Providers—This online training provides legal aid and civil attorneys with information, tools, and resources to identify and respond to elder abuse.
- Polyvictimization in Later Life—The purpose of this online training is to strengthen awareness of polyvictimization in later life and to provide knowledge and skills of professionals to address the needs of victims.
- Identifying and Responding to Elder Abuse—During this 2.5–day training you will learn to recognize the risk factors for and indicators of elder abuse among older persons; name the types of elder abuse, relevant statutes, and responsibilities of a mandated reporter; and intervene appropriately and collaborate with other organizations and agencies involved with elder abuse.
Finally, we encourage you to visit the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Tool Kit for resources you can share as part of your digital World Elder Abuse Awareness Day campaigns. The tool kit includes an outreach guide, a sample press release, social media and web campaign artwork, and more. Ideas include adding WEAAD frame to your Facebook profile, hosting a virtual event, planning an art competition, and sharing what WEAAD means to your organization on social media. Campaign materials are available in English and Spanish, and select materials are also available in Chinese.
Help OVC Connect Victims of Elder Fraud with Support
In March, the U.S. Department of Justice launched the National Elder Fraud Hotline, operated by OVC, that provides services to adults ages 60 and older who may be victims of financial fraud.
The Hotline is staffed by experienced case managers who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers can assist callers with reporting the suspected fraud to relevant agencies and provide resources and referrals to other appropriate services as needed.
Help OVC raise awareness about the hotline by using the National Elder Fraud Hotline artwork on your website and as part of your online, email, and social media marketing campaigns.
On June 17, 2020, an Expert Q&A webinar will be hosted by the OVC Training and Technical Assistance Center, titled "The U.S. Department of Justice National Elder Fraud Hotline To Assist Victims of Financial Fraud". View a recording of the session on the Expert Q&A Past Sessions section of the OVC Training and Technical Assistance Center website.
For more information, read an Office of Justice Programs blog on the National Elder Fraud Hotline.
New OVC-Funded Elder Abuse Materials
The following OVC-funded publications and videos are the result of awards made to the FY 2017 Field-Generated Innovations in Addressing Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation program to build the capacity of victim service providers and allied professionals in the support of victims of elder abuse and financial exploitation.
Elder Abuse Fatality Review Teams: A Replication Manual
Elder abuse fatality review teams review deaths caused by or related to elder abuse and can improve the response of community agencies to elder abuse victims. This publication provides guidance to communities interested in establishing similar teams. This updated resource includes information on the criteria and selection of cases for review, confidentiality practices, preventing "blame and shame," and a comparison of 27 categories of professionals serving as team members.
Lifting up the Voices of Older Survivors
This series of nine training videos features older Americans sharing their experiences with intimate partner violence, financial exploitation, sexual assault/abuse, and stalking. The stories highlight the impact of elder abuse on victims and their families, and suggests effective interventions. Discussion guides accompany each video.
STAGES (Strategies and Training to Advance Greater Elder Safety) Curriculum
The STAGES curriculum educates teams of judicial, justice, and community professionals about financial exploitation and elder abuse.
Elder Law Risk Detector
This online tool is designed to help civil legal professionals identify their client's risk factors for financial exploitation.
National Referral System Effective Referrals at the Community Level with Person-Enhanced Technology
Elder Law of Michigan, Inc. developed this framework for a national referral system based on a community-level referral model used in Michigan for victimized and vulnerable older adults.
Find more resources on the Elder Fraud & Abuse section of our site, the U.S. Department of Justice's Elder Justice Initiative site, and the Elder Abuse Special Feature section of the Office of Justice Programs site.