In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15, staff members from Hartford HealthCare’s Center for Healthy Aging set up tables at several hospitals to provide free information about the services they offer to help keep seniors safe. World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) was launched by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations. The purpose of WEAAD is to provide an opportunity for communities around the world to promote a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older persons by raising awareness of the cultural, social, economic and demographic processes affecting elder abuse and neglect.
Patty O’Brian, a Dementia Specialist at the Center for Healthy Aging, said that the idea to have the information tables came from discussions staff members had regarding safety concerns about some of the clients they see every week. Her and her staff designed stickers and handouts for the event using the tagline “I Stand With Seniors” to help promote the cause.
“We see the need to help keep seniors safe in many different situations,” O’Brian said. “Helping to create a safe environment for seniors can be as simple as making sure there is good food in the refrigerator or something more serious like the proper management of medications or being wary of financial exploitation through telephone and mail scams. Our staff does a great job of living Hartford HealthCare’s core value of safety and they know how important it is to spread the word about this very serious issue.”
For more information about the Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging and the services they provide, please visit https://hhcseniorservices.org/services/center-for-healthy-aging or call 877.4AGING