Prevent Elder Abuse and Neglect
Respect and protect older adults. June 15th is was World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
Elder maltreatment is a significant public health problem. Each year, hundreds of thousands of adults over the age of 60 are abused, neglected, or financially exploited. In the United States alone, over 500,000 older adults are believed to be abused or neglected each year. These statistics are likely an underestimate because many victims are unable or afraid to tell the police, family, or friends about the violence.
There are six types of maltreatment that occur in people over the age of 60. These include:
- Physical Abuse
- Sexual Abuse
- Emotional Abuse
- Neglect
- Abandonment
- Financial Abuse
See Elder Maltreatment: Definitions for more detailed information .
Find local agencies and services for older adults using the National Eldercare Locator
1-800-677-1116. This is a public service of the U.S. Administration on Aging 
Working to prevent elder maltreatment
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) works to prevent violence before it occurs. Our activities include:
- Monitoring violence-related injuries
- Conducting research on the factors that put people at risk or protect them from violence
- Creating and evaluating the effectiveness of violence prevention programs
- Helping state and local partners plan, implement, and evaluate prevention programs
- Conducting research on the effective adoption and dissemination of prevention strategies