World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) is acknowledged every year on 15 June to highlight the impact of elder abuse on our community. Elder abuse occurs as a result of ageism and inequality in our society.
Elder abuse is any act that causes harm to an older person and is often carried out by someone they know and trust such as a family member or friend. The abuse may be financial, psychological, physical, social, or sexual and can include mistreatment and neglect.
WEAAD was first officially recognised by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2011, following a request by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA), who first established the day of acknowledgement in June 2006.
Elder abuse is a global issue that affects the health, wellbeing, independence and human rights of millions of older people. It is an issue that deserves the attention of everyone in our community.
Event: Stir a Cuppa with Seniors at The City of Melbourne Bowls Club
Join COTA Victoria for a Conversation on Grandparenting facilitated by Gerard Mansour, Commissioner for Senior Victorians and Ambassador for Elder Abuse Prevention, with guest speaker Dr Marlene Krasovitsky, Co-chair and Director of EveryAGE Counts
campaign and a small panel of guests.
When: Wednesday 15 June, 2pm - 4pm
Where: The City of Melbourne Bowls Club, Flagstaff Gardens, West Melbourne
This is a FREE event and will also be livestreamed on COTA Victoria's Facebook page
Register online here or call 9655 2100 by 3pm Friday 10 June.
Seniors Rights Victoria (SRV) brochure launch
As part of the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) event on 15 June, Seniors Rights Victoria (SRV) will put a spotlight on the important role of seniors, as grandparents, aunts, uncles and mentors in families with the release their new brochure for grandparents, providing invaluable information on the importance of grandparents in family life.
In a report produced by SRV in 2020 the main challenges for grandparents were:
- Being estranged from grandchildren
- The threat of alienation used to coerce grandparents into providing financial support (e.g. paying for school fees)
- Feeling pressure to provide financial or other support for grandchildren
- Issues relating to informal and casual caregiving and
- Being concerned for the safety of their grandchildren in the face of family violence.
The brochure for grandparents will provide helpful information on places to obtain support and advice on the issues that a grandparent might face.
