Elder Justice Act Essay

450,000, that is the number of senior citizens who were abused nationwide in 1996 and this number is rising quickly("Navigation."). Elder abuse is not a topic that is usually talked about, or known about too many, but it is a very serious issue. It can cause various effects on elders, not just in the physical sense, but the mental sense as well. There are a lot of simple things that community members can do to help battle against abuse. Elder abuse is happening all around us, but we do not have the knowledge or resources to help put an end to the hardship that these victims of abuse face.

Abuse, is a term usually thought of as “physical maltreatment” towards another person or animal, but this it is not always the case ( "Abuse Definition.") . Abuse occurs in many forms, not just the typical

This act was established in 2010 by President Barack Obama. This act helped to create many different support systems for elders such as the Elder Justice Coordinating Council and an Advisory Board on elder abuse. The council is “responsible for coordinating the activities of federal, state, local and private agencies in combating elder abuse” ("What Is the Elder Justice Act?" ). The council also gives reports to Congress of ways to fight against elder abuse. The Advisory Board was established to help “the Council in developing plans and recommendations to combat elder abuse” ("What Is the Elder Justice Act?" ). The Advisory Board is made up of 27 individuals who are experts on the issue of elder abuse. These two systems are doing as much as they can to help end elder abuse as well as make it easier for elders to receive help if they find themselves victims of abuse. Though the Council and the Advisory Board are two big systems in place to end elder abuse there are other smaller organizations out there doing the same thing, advocating for elders and educating community