'World Elder Abuse Awareness Day' focusing on isolation

Christie Netherton, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
·2 min read

Jun. 15—'World Elder Abuse Awareness Day' is Tuesday, June 15, and the Green River Area Development District Agency on Aging and Independent Living hopes to shed light on how social isolation has become a huge issue in contributing to neglect, especially during the pandemic.

GRADD's Aging and Senior Services Director Jennifer Williams said elder abuse and neglect are a national problem and have been for many years. The issue of elder isolation has been highlighted during COVID as many senior centers have been closed to the public and seniors are receiving fewer visits from friends and family.

Now that the world is starting to return to some sense of normalcy following more than a year of the COVID-19 pandemic, Williams said it is important to maintain momentum in ensuring seniors are cared for.

"In many cases, people could not get to their elders to check on them or they were trying to protect them by not being around them because they are such a vulnerable population for this virus," she said. "Now that our society is waking back up and coming alive again, it's easy to forget that our seniors still need our time and attention as well."

Williams said with senior centers being closed throughout the last year, many seniors were more likely to experience isolation, increasing the prospect of abuse and neglect.

With many senior centers opening back up, she said it will be a good resource for seniors to have a social outlet and give them back a connection to the rest of the community.

"Older adults who are socially connected and protected from harm are less likely to be hospitalized, less likely to go into nursing homes and less likely to die," stated a press release from the Agency on Aging and Independent Living.

World Elder Abuse Awareness day, according to Williams, is an opportunity for the community to recognize seniors and the contributions they have made and continue to make in society and ensure they are well cared for.

"It's just a good day to remember that our seniors are so, so important and deserve our respect and our watch-care over them," she said.

Christie Netherton, cnetherton@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7360