"World Elder Abuse Awareness Day" in Arizona

Today, June 15, is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), a day used to raise awareness about elder abuse prevention and intervention. In Arizona we must recognize the ways in which our Long-Term Care System continues to fail residents and their families.

Elder abuse can happen in many different forms. It can be financial, physical, psychological, or a combination of these. The abuse can occur regardless of someone living at home or in an institutional setting. Abuse can happen to anyone, anywhere at anytime. However, women and those 80+ are the most common victims of elder abuse.

There were more than 34,000 individual reports of vulnerable adult maltreatment in Arizona during the 2022 fiscal year, according to the Adult Protective Services data. This number is the hightest it has been in the last five years. In addition according to the National Council on Aging 1 in 10 individuals 60+ years old are abused every year across the nation. Here in Arizona we are ranked number 33 nationally for states with best overall elder abuse protections, we need to do better for our aging community.

While systematic improvements to Arizona’s long-term care system are unquestionably necessary, the absolute minimum we need to do immediately is hire enough long-term care surveyors to investigate these claims in a timely manner; anything less proves how little we value those living in these facilities.