TITLE
Title
PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING JUNE 2026 AS ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH
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SPONSOR
Sponsor
Commissioner Kay Cashion
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PROCLAMATION
Proclamation
Whereas, older adults in Guilford County deserve to be treated with respect and dignity to enable them to serve as leaders, mentors, volunteers, and vital members of our community; and
Whereas, elder abuse takes many forms, including financial, emotional, physical, sexual, and intimate partner violence in later life. It often comes in the form of neglect, abandonment, or exploitation; and
Whereas, nationally, it is estimated that 1 in 10 elderly Americans are abused. Many suffer in silence as cases are under-reported and resource scarce; and
Whereas, nearly 16% of Guilford County's population is ages 65 and older. And in the United States, it is projected that in 2035 there will be more adults 65 and older than children under 18; and
Whereas, in 2025, DHHS Adult Protective Services received over 1,900 reports of elder abuse and financial exploitation, and the Family Justice Center reached more than 4,600 people through outreach and education on elder abuse prevention and response in our community; and
Whereas, through collaborative partnership, the Guilford County Family Justice Center's Elder Justice Committee successfully advocated for legislative change that resulted in the passage of North Carolina Senate Bill 400, establishing a statute that authorizes adult multidisciplinary teams to share information related to the abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation of older and disabled adults in order to promote swifter victim safety and greater offender accountability; and
Whereas, the Guilford County Family Justice Center's Elder Justice Committee has partnered with Guidance Carolina and DHHS Adult Protective Services to pilot an innovative program that expands community based elder justice services and seeks to reduce recidivism among individuals involved with Adult Protective Services; an...
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