Organizations and public encouraged to participate in Brockton & Plymouth Marches and to display Lawn Signs.
BROCKTON AND PLYMOUTH, MA… World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) is June 15th. To raise awareness to STOP elder abuse, Old Colony Elder Services (OCES) in partnership with Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz, Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department, the Brockton Council on Aging (COA) and Plymouth Center for Active Living (CAL), has launched a “March Against Elder Abuse” campaign that entails community marches in Brockton and Plymouth along with lawn sign displays during the month of June.
Everyone is welcome to participate! The public, civic leaders, health workers, and community supporters are invited to events in Brockton and Plymouth.
On Wednesday, June 1, 2022 at 10:00 am, the OCES WEAAD planning committee will hold a banner-raising ceremony in front of OCES’ offices at 144 Main Street in Brockton to kick off the month-long awareness campaign. The banners will be displayed along a section of Main Street throughout the month of June. Brockton City Hall will also be lit up in purple on June 15th.
On Wednesday, June 15, 2022 OCES, the Brockton COA, and participants will March Against Elder Abuse in Brockton. The March starts at 11:00 am at the Brockton COA, 10 Father Kenney Way, continues along Main Street to OCES’ office then back to the COA for a special Grab & Go lunch with guest speakers. Limited parking is available.
RSVP for the Brockton March and lunch by June 6th: https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ej4gwdo674b406fe&oseq=&c=&ch=
On Thursday, June 16, 2022 OCES, the Plymouth CAL and participants will March Against Elder Abuse in Plymouth. The March will begin at 10:30 am outside Tavern on the Wharf, 6 Town Wharf, and proceed down Water Street then back to Tavern on the Wharf for a light lunch and speaking presentation. Metered parking is available off street.
RSVP for the Plymouth March by June 6th: https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ej4gqe0e4a3609c0&oseq=&c=&
All events are free and open to the general public. All events will be held rain or shine.
Lawn Sign Displays
In addition to the two Marches, take part in the Lawn Sign Displays! OCES encourages the community to make a difference and display a lawn sign for the month of June, to educate others about who to call to report elder abuse. OCES has created lawn signs with various sayings to raise awareness of elder abuse such as “You Can Make a Difference” and “See Something Say Something – Report Elder Abuse”.
To obtain a complimentary lawn sign, community members can register at https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ej4l2u2d1a2c61d1&oseq=&c=&ch= . Those who are picking up a sign will be provided with a designated pick-up time. Deadline to claim a lawn sign is May 2, 2022.
Many Sponsorship Opportunities are available to support the “March Against Elder Abuse Campaign” – visit ocesma.org
“We must work together as a community to build awareness of this important issue,” said Teresa Kourtz, LSW, MSG, OCES’ Protective Services Director. “OCES encourages anyone witnessing elder abuse to report it. Be proactive and be a part of the solution to help end elder abuse.”
Recognizing Elder Abuse
Elder abuse includes physical, emotional, neglect, self-neglect, financial exploitation and sexual abuse. During 2021 in Massachusetts, 35,202 reports of elder abuse were made. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Community Living, an estimated five million older adults are victims of elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation every year. One in 10 Americans age 60 and older have experienced some form of elder abuse. Common risk factors for elder abuse are social isolation, poor physical health and dementia. Nationally, at least $36.5 billion annually is lost by victims of financial abuse according to the National Council on Aging.
OCES Protective Services Program staff works with older adults or their designees to prevent, eliminate or remedy situations involving elder abuse. When a report is made to the Centralized Intake Unit (Elder Abuse Hotline) and the elder resides in our catchment area, OCES will receive the report and determine if further investigation by a Protective Services Worker is necessary.
If you have concerns please contact your local Protective Services Agency. If you want to file a report on elder abuse, please contact the Centralized Intake Unit (Elder Abuse Hotline) at 1-800-922-2275.
About WEAAD
WEAAD was launched by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations in 2006. To learn more about WEAAD, visit https://eldermistreatment.usc.edu/weaad-home/
About OCES
Founded in 1974, Old Colony Elder Services (OCES) is a non-profit agency proudly serving older adults and individuals with disabilities throughout greater Plymouth County and surrounding communities. OCES is a private, non-profit organization headquartered in Brockton with a second office in Plymouth. OCES is designated as one of 25 Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. OCES’ mission is to support the independence and dignity of older adults and individuals with disabilities by providing essential information and services that promote healthy and safe living. The agency offers a number of programs to serve older adults, individuals with disabilities, their families and caregivers. For more information call 508-584-1561 or visit www.ocesma.org.
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