Elder Abuse Prevention
Prevent elder abuse. June 15th is World Elder Abuse Prevention Day
Elder abuse is a significant public health problem. Each year, hundreds of thousands of adults over the age of 60 are abused, neglected, or financially exploited. Elder abuse, including neglect and exploitation, is experienced by 1 out of every 10 people, ages 60 and older, who live at home. This statistic is likely an underestimate because many victims are unable or afraid to disclose or report the violence.
The following six types of maltreatment occur among persons over the age of 60.
- Physical abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Neglect
- Abandonment
- Financial abuse
See Elder Abuse Definitions for more detailed information.
Find local agencies and services for older adults using the National Eldercare Locator (NEL) at 1-800-677-1116. NEL is a public service of the U.S. Administration on Aging.
Working to Prevent Elder Abuse
CDC works to prevent violence before it occurs. Our prevention activities include:
- Documenting the extent of the problem.
- Conducting research on the factors that put people at risk or that protect them from violence.
- Creating and evaluating the effectiveness of prevention programs.
- Helping state and local partners plan, implement, and evaluate prevention programs.
- Conducting research on the effective adoption and dissemination of prevention strategies.
- Page last reviewed: June 5, 2017
- Page last updated: June 5, 2017
- Content source:
- National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
- Page maintained by: Office of the Associate Director for Communication, Digital Media Branch, Division of Public Affairs