The New York State Office of Children and Family Services today announced that key state buildings and landmarks will be lit in purple the evening of June 16 in recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD).
WEAAD, which is officially celebrated on June 15, was first recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in 2011. The purpose of WEAAD is to provide an opportunity to promote a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older persons and to raise awareness about the millions of older adults who experience elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation.
“Unfortunately, elder abuse tends to be under-recognized and under-reported. Our seniors are foundational members of our society and we must protect them,” said OCFS Commissioner Dr. DaMia Harris-Madden. “As many as one in 10 older adults experience abuse or neglect, but only one in about 24 abuse cases end up reported to adult protective services or law enforcement. It is vital that family, friends and neighbors look out for the well-being of our vulnerable adults and intervene if they see signs of abuse. If you believe abuse is happening, call the New York State Adult Services Helpline at 1-844-697-3505, or your local county adult protective services office or law enforcement. I invite you to visit the Adult Protective Services page on the OCFS website for more information on ways to identify and stop elder abuse.”
“The 2025 WEAAD theme is ‘Beyond Age: Changing the Conversation about Aging,’” said Julie Kelleher, director of the OCFS Bureau of Adult Services (BAS). “Older adults are encouraged to think about what advice they wish they had given to their younger selves, and families are encouraged to have conversations about respecting and preserving the dignity of older people and to help strive against ageist attitudes.”
BAS provides oversight to adult protective services (APS) across New York State. Annually, the bureau encourages counties to schedule community activities to promote elder abuse awareness during the month of June and throughout the year. These activities have included trainings, tree plantings, health fairs, scam prevention presentations, ice cream socials and presentations on the role of APS.
The bureau has provided promotional items to counties to distribute with a phone number to report elder abuse. OCFS has also recently been working with the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) and Lifespan of Greater Rochester to increase state initiatives to prevent elder abuse.
APS is a mandated service provided by local social services districts. It involves intake, investigation and assessment of referrals of abuse, neglect and financial exploitation of impaired vulnerable adults who live in the community. APS serves adults (age 18 and older) who, due to physical or mental impairments, are unable to protect themselves from abuse, neglect, financial exploitation or other harm; and have no one available who is willing and able to assist responsibly.
Services provided (directly or through referral) include providing safety monitoring, linkages with other service providers (health, mental health, aging, etc.), assistance in obtaining benefits, informal money management or appointing a representative payee, and petitioning a court for a guardian appointment or for some other legal intervention. Visit the Adult Protective Services page on the OCFS website for more information.
About the New York State Office of Children and Family Services:
The Office of Children and Family Services serves New York's public by promoting the safety, permanency and well-being of children, families and communities. The agency provides a system of family support, juvenile justice, youth development, child care and child welfare services and is responsible for programs and services involving foster care, adoption and adoption assistance, child protective services, preventive services for children and families, and protective programs for vulnerable adults.
