World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

Observed every year on June 15th , the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) shines a global spotlight on the mistreatment of older persons and calls for action to uphold their dignity and rights. Officially recognized by the UN General Assembly, WEAAD unites advocates, governments, and communities to prevent elder abuse in all settings. This year’s virtual international commemoration on June 16, 2025, focuses on Addressing Abuse of Older Adults in Long-Term Care Facilities: Through Data and Action . With a global ageing population and increasing reliance on institutional care, ensuring residents’ safety and dignity is more urgent than ever. Join leading experts as they share evidence, good practices, and solutions to strengthen protections and drive systemic change on Monday, June 16, 2025 from 1:15–2:45 PM ET.  Register here Read the  Concept Note ;  Flyer  and the Agenda  Programme .

Elder abuse is a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person.  Elder mistreatment , also known as elder abuse, refers to any knowing, intentional, or negligent act by a caregiver or other person that causes harm or a serious risk of harm to a vulnerable older adult. It encompasses a range of actions, including physical, emotional, financial abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse. This mistreatment can occur in various settings, such as in the home, nursing homes, or assisted living facilities. The Types of Elder Mistreatment are: Physical Abuse : Involves the use of physical force that results in pain, injury, or impairment. This can include hitting, slapping, pushing, or restraining. Emotional/Psychological Abuse : Involves verbal or nonverbal behaviors that inflict anguish, fear, or distress. Examples include humiliation, threats, isolation, and intimid...

This  virtual event , held in observance of  WEAAD 2025 , will focus on the abuse of older adults in long-term care facilities. Whereas most  older people  live in the community, institutional care is a reality for many. As the need for  institutional care  grows with global aging, so do concerns about safeguarding the rights, safety, and dignity of residents is of outmost importance. Despite increased awareness, many countries still lack reliable, disaggregated data, and staff shortages or lack of adequate training, continue to create high-risk conditions for  abuse and neglect . A WHO-supported study revealed that nearly 64% of  institutional staff  admitted to  abusive behavior  in the previous year, h ighlighting the urgent need for systemic change.

 Long-term care (LTC) services were recognized by the United Nations Economic and Social Council as one of the emerging issues that the international community needs to act upon¹. Nursing homes, memory care units, and other institutional settings play a critical role in supporting older persons experiencing physical or cognitive decline, as well as those with care and support needs, yet they also present unique challenges. Meeting these challenges is critical when ensuring the protection of residents from abuse and neglect. Abuse of older persons in institutional settings, such as nursing homes and long-term care facilities, is often an unrecognized public health issue. A World Health Organization (WHO)-led meta-study from 2017 reviewed published studies that conducted long-term care staff interviews to address the difficulty of gaining access to and obtaining informed consent from nursing home residents. Researchers found that 62.2 per cent of those interviewed believed that in th...