June is World Elder Abuse Awareness Month, and the Tulare County District Attorney's Office will again air its extensive elder abuse awareness campaign using television, radio, newspapers and social media.

"We are ready to hit the ground running to bring valuable resources to our seniors as we carefully exit the pandemic," said Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward. "D.A. staff has been creative in making sure seniors have been staying informed at home. Our office recently collaborated with CSET Senior Services to distribute 1,500 bilingual resource and scam guides with Meals on Wheels. It was a great outreach project, and we are ready to do more. We encourage any group or club focused on senior issues to contact us for presentation opportunities. Call the TCDA Victim Services Division at 559-636-5471 to schedule."

Meanwhile, the Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency (HHSA) will participate by encouraging community members to Wear Purple on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, June 15, to promote a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older persons.

World Elder Abuse Aware-ness Day (WEAAD) was launched on June 15, 2006, by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations.

The purpose of WEAAD is to provide an opportunity for communities around the world to promote a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older persons by raising awareness of the cultural, social, economic and demographic processes affecting elder abuse and neglect.

Each year, an estimated five million older persons in the United States are abused, neglected and exploited. In addition, seniors throughout the country lose an estimated $2.6 billion annually due to elder financial abuse and exploitation, funds that could have been used to pay for basic needs such as housing, food and medical care.

Last year in Tulare County, prosecutors filed 52 felony cases of elder abuse, and 23 misdemeanor cases. TCDA victim advocates served over 1,000 victims of the crime at various stages of the criminal justice process.

To honor the 1,137 seniors who reported some form of abuse in 2021, Tulare County HHSA will be planting purple flags on the lawn at Tulare County Government Plaza on Mooney Boulevard in Visalia.The color purple is associated with royalty, dignity and respect – words often used to describe seniors – and community members are encouraged to wear purple in support of prevention of elder abuse and neglect. The purple flags will fly at Government Plaza for the entire month of June.

The DA's staff also works with CSET Senior Services to distribute materials with Meals on Wheels.

For more information about elder abuse, visit the National Center on Elder Abuse website at http://www.ncea.acl.gov

"If you suspect elder abuse, you can contact law enforcement or call the County Adult Protective Services toll-free, 24-hour-a-day hotline at 1-877-657-3092 to report confidentially," said Ward.

In case of an emergency, always call 911.