In an effort to combat the often overlooked crime of elder abuse, Tempe Mayor Corey Woods and Councilmember Berdetta Hodge are hosting a public awareness event. Scheduled for June 15, the gathering will shine a light on the seven types of elder abuse and how to prevent them. As part of Mayor Woods' Annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day initiative, the event promotes education and provides resources to protect seniors in Arizona. Everyone is invited to bring along acquaintances or family members to the Skirm Auditorium at Friendship Village for this informative session from 9-10 a.m.
The upcoming "Breakfast with Berdetta" intends to give residents the means to recognize, prevent, and report elder abuse. The event, dedicated by Councilmember Hodge to World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, will highlight public safety officials' insights, as described on the City of Tempe's official announcement. A panel discussion led by Tempe's Assistant Police Chief Dane Sorensen, Temporary Fire and Medical Rescue Chief Darrell Duty, Maricopa County Deputy Sheriff James McFarland, and attorneys from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office will tackle these grave issues facing the elder community.
According to statistics presented by the City of Tempe, elder abuse remains a critically underreported issue. The statistics are alarming, with one in 10 Americans aged 60 and older experiencing some form of abuse. However, only a fraction of these incidents, one in 14, is brought to the attention of authorities. Elder abuse is a multifaceted issue, ranging from physical and emotional to financial exploitation, the latter estimated to balloon to $2.5 trillion in losses by 2035. Desire to raise awareness and provide preventative measures is at the core of this annual event.
For those interested in attending the discussion on recognizing and responding to elder abuse, the City of Tempe requests an RSVP for planning purposes. Contact information can be found on the event's announcement page. Attendees will be offered an hour to engage with experts and pose questions during the Q&A session following the panel dialogue. Maricopa County attorneys Jared Price from the Family Violence Division and Mary Harriss from the Fraud Division will also join the conversation, providing their expertise on the legal aspects of combating elder abuse.
