At its June 12 meeting, the Cobb County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution proclaiming June 15 Elder Abuse Awareness Day. The proclamation was presented to members of Cobb County’s Elder Abuse Task Force (CEATF).

The proclamation, read by District 1 Commissioner Bob Weatherford, said,

Our older adult population is a valued part of our society. They deserve to live safely, with dignity and as independently as possible. Elder abuse is most often defined as an act that harms or jeopardizes the health or welfare of a senior or developmentally disabled adult. It is important to be aware of warning signs as elders often suffer in silence. The Board of Commissioners present a proclamation to the Cobb Elder Abuse Task Force designating June 15, 2018 as Elder Abuse Awareness Day in Cobb County.

The CEATF includes representatives from district attornies offices, police departments, emergency services, and community advocates.

Their website describes the organization:

We are a multi-jurisdictional organization that addresses financial, physical/emotional and institutional abuse of seniors.  In addition, we provide education and awareness training for service providers, law enforcement and community organizations.

Our membership is made up of a network of partnering agencies that have significant contact with the senior population.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) is on June 15.  It was launched in 2006 by the INPEA and the World Health Organization at the United Nations.  The WHO stated on their website that the virtually all countries are expected to see substantial growth in the number of older persons between 2015 and 2030, and that growth will be fastest in developing regions. Because the numbers of older persons are growing, the amount of abuse of elders is expected to grow with it. They described it as “one of the least investigated types of violence in national surveys, and one of the least addressed in national action plans.”