World Elder Abuse Awareness Day highlights dangers to elderly

JACKSON, Tenn. — Thousands of people across the United States wore purple Wednesday to show their support in the fight against elder abuse.

A new study by the National Center on Elder Abuse says the elderly population here in the U.S. sits at about 41 million. Of that number, one in every 10 experiences some sort of abuse over a one-year period.

Losses by victims of financial exploitation is estimated to be at $2.9 billion.

Those who experienced abuse were twice as likely to be hospitalized.

“The best thing that people can do is visit and call their elderly neighbors, check on their family members, especially at a time like this in the extreme heat,” said Shelley Matthews, director of the Southwest Agency on Aging. “There’s no better time to go and make that visit or make that call.”

The new numbers also show that only one in every 14 cases of elder abuse ever comes to the attention of authorities.