By Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ & Director, CREDI
“Where there is no honour to the elderly, there is no future for the young…We must reawaken our collective sense of gratitude, appreciation and hospitality, helping the elderly know they are a living part of their communities and sources of wisdom for the younger generations” (Pope Francis).
Tomorrow, June 15, is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
As the UN states: “Virtually all countries are expected to see substantial growth in the number of older persons between 2015 and 2030, and that growth will be faster in developing regions. Because the numbers of older persons are growing, the amount of elder abuse can be expected to grow with it. While the taboo topic of elder abuse has started to gain visibility across the world, it remains one of the least investigated types of violence in national surveys, and one of the least addressed in national action plans. Elder abuse is a global social issue which affects the health and human rights of millions of older persons around the world, and an issue which deserves the attention of the international community.”