World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Forum

About the Program

Category: Civic Education and Public Information (Best in Category)

Year: 2015

The Baltimore County Department of Aging leads an interagency elder abuse prevention coalition entitled, “Baltimore County Restoring Elder Safety Today” (BC-REST). This group has presented a World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) forum annually since 2010. The purpose of the event is to educate the public about the serious problem of elder abuse, and to provide information about resources to prevent, report and eliminate it. BC-REST is a coalition that includes the Department of Aging (chair), Departments of Police, Fire, Health, Social Services, and Public Libraries, Legal Aid Bureau, Meals on Wheels, AARP, and other service providers and citizens. Since its inception in 2010, the group has worked together very successfully to provide presentations for community and professional groups, a shred-a-thon for seniors, and support for the revitalization of a statewide training program for bank personnel, as well as the annual WEAAD. The WEAAD events include speakers from groups including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the States Attorney’s Office, and the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition. Each year, participants learn about the signs and symptoms of elder abuse, how to identify and report suspected abuse to authorities, and actions individuals can take to keep seniors safe. Each WEAAD event has seen an increase in attendance. Last year’s event drew over 80 individuals of all ages and professions. All of those who completed the evaluation said they learned useful information about elder abuse. In addition, the forums raise public awareness of elder abuse, through articles, web posts and television broadcasts about WEAAD.