Each week in this column, we tackle questions and concerns facing older adults, caregivers, and families. We touch on topics that are on our minds, come up in conversations, and appear in the news. This week I want to focus on a difficult topic that often goes unnoticed: elder abuse.

June 15th is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, which helps shine a light on this issue and the steps we can all take to prevent it. Elder abuse is defined as an intentional act or failure to act that causes harm – or creates the risk of harm – to an older adult. This can include physical, financial, sexual, and verbal abuse or caregiver neglect. All of these can have severe consequences for a person’s physical or mental health.

In the U.S., one in ten older adults living independently in the community experiences abuse each year. At the same time, only one in every 24 cases is ever reported. As the designated agency in the Merrimack Valley and North Shore for receiving and investigating reports of elder abuse, AgeSpan receives thousands of reports each year. Our Protective Services team investigates abuse, neglect, and exploitation, and works with older adults to reduce or alleviate risk. For older adults living in nursing homes, assisted living, or other residential care facilities, our Long Term Care Ombudsman staff and volunteers also investigate complaints.

We can all do our part for the older adults in our families and communities by watching for the signs:

• Emotional and behavioral signs such as increased anxiety, isolation from friends or family, or changes in behavior or sleep patterns.
• Physical signs such as weight loss, missing daily living aids (like a walker or medication), unexplained injuries or bruises, unattended medical needs, or unexplained sexually transmitted diseases.
• Financial signs can include unusual changes in spending, unpaid bills, or fraudulent signatures on financial documents.

If you suspect elder abuse, don’t wait, report it.

The Massachusetts Elder Abuse Hotline is available at 1-800-922-2275 and operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can report abuse confidentially, and trained professionals will assess the situation.

Older adults deserve to live with dignity, respect, and safety. By paying attention to warning signs and speaking up when something feels wrong, we can help protect members of our community and connect them with support. Speaking up can make all the difference.

Are you caring for an older adult or need help finding healthy aging resources? Our experienced staff is available to help. Visit us online at www.agespan.org. You can also call 800-892-0890 or email info@agespan.org. 

Joan Hatem-Roy is the chief executive officer of AgeSpan, which serves the following cities and towns: Amesbury, Andover, Billerica, Boxford, Chelmsford, Danvers, Dracut, Dunstable, Georgetown, Groveland, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Marblehead, Merrimac, Methuen, Middleton, Newbury, Newburyport, North Andover, Peabody, Rowley, Salisbury, Salem, Tewksbury, Tyngsboro, Westford, and West Newbury.