Athens County Commissioners officially proclaimed June 13, 2014, Elder Abuse Awareness Day in Athens County, a day that serves as a call-to-action for individuals, organizations and communities to raise awareness about abuse, neglect and exploitation of elders.
“We hope to draw the same amount of attention to elder abuse as we do to child abuse,” said Jack Frech, Director of the Athens County Department of Job and Family Services. “So many senior citizens need the help and support from our community.”
“It is important to treat people with dignity and respect,” said Commissioner Lenny Eliason, following the signing of the official proclamation. “Everyone should be aware of their neighbors and offer assistance when they can or contact someone who can help those in need.”
"It’s a challenging job,” said Tabatha McDade, the agency’s APS coordinator. “Not everyone is open to receiving our help, even though it may be clear that they need it.”
Senior citizens can refuse care, and many times they do, especially when it’s a situation of self-neglect or when they’ve been abused by a family member, McDade added.
Join us in recognizing this day on June 13 by wearing purple, the official color of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
See our previous post for more information about what ASP does and other ways the community can help prevent elder abuse.
No comments:
Post a Comment