06/11/2026
June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month.
And this is something worth pausing on.
Elder abuse affects millions of older adults every year, and it is vastly underreported. Not because it is rare, but because it is often invisible. It does not always leave marks. It does not always look the way most people expect.
It can look like financial exploitation, someone gradually gaining control of a senior's money or decisions. It can look like emotional manipulation, isolating an older adult from the people who love them. It can look like neglect, basic needs going unmet while everyone around them assumes someone else is handling it.
We all have a role to play in protecting the older adults in our lives.
Some things worth watching for this month and every month:
Unexplained changes in finances or missing belongings. A senior who seems fearful or withdrawn around a particular person. Sudden isolation from friends and family. Signs of poor hygiene or untreated health concerns. A loved one who seems hesitant to speak freely.
You do not need proof before you ask a question. You do not need certainty before you speak up. If something feels wrong, that feeling is worth listening to.
This June, let's protect, speak up, and show up for the older adults who deserve to feel safe.