The Tulare County Board of Supervisors has proclaimed June as World Elder Abuse Awareness Month in the county.
The proclamation was read at its June 2 meeting by Supervisor Dennis Townsend.
To prepare for the month, supervisors and representatives of Tulare County Health & Human Services planted purple flags on the lawn of Tulare County Government Plaza on Mooney Boulevard on May 26. The flags will be on display through the month of June.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day has been observed internationally every June 15 since it was started by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization in 2006. Many places around the world, including Tulare County, have made it into a month-long observance.
The purpose of the observance is to promote a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older persons by focusing attention on the cultural, social, economic and demographic processes that contribute to it.
It is estimated that five million older individuals in the U.S. are abused, neglected, or exploited every year. Financial abuse, the most common form of elder abuse, is estimated to cost U.S. seniors $2.6 billion every year.
“According to CalPERS, in California alone, more than 200,000 reports of elder and dependent adult abuse are made annually,” said Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward, whose office filed 23 felony and 18 misdemeanor counts of elder abuse in 2025.
Why it matters
“It’s important to come here and spread awareness about World Elder Abuse Awareness Month, and to really make sure that the public is aware that elders are abused, whether it’s financially, physically, or emotionally,” said Supervisor Pete Vander Poel at the May 26 flag-planting ceremony. “Everyone, especially in their later years of life, deserves to have the dignity of being taken care of and provided for, and that’s really what this is about.”
“Each year, we come out to bring recognition to the elder abuse that goes on,” Townsend said. “Coming out here, talking with the folks from HHSA, I’ve actually been shocked to see how much goes on, even within our county.”
“Many of our seniors are getting scammed or abused, whether it’s physical, emotional, or financial abuse, so it’s important to take the time to remember that and also to bring awareness to not only our senior population, but their families,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Amy Shuklian. “A lot of times the families don’t realize what’s going on in the home, that people are calling and trying to scam.”
“The reason why I come here is because of the impact that our elderly have in our community,” said Supervisor Eddie Valero. “It’s to honor, to reflect, to thank, to support, to encourage our elderly to have a voice in our community, and to be protected, to be guided with the right support, with the right resources that are needed.”
County and national resources
Information about elder abuse, including the types of abuse, is available on the Tulare County District Attorney website. Information is also available on the National Center on Elder Abuse website.
Help, including free assistance and information for individuals seeking elder or dependent adult abuse restraining orders, is available through the Tulare County Superior Court Self-Help Resource Center. Local groups interested in scheduling a speaker about elder abuse can call the TCDA Victim Services Division at (559) 636-5471.
“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,” Ward said.
In case of an emergency, always call 911.
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Protecting seniors from abuse in Tulare County
Reporting by Steve Pastis, Visalia Times-Delta / Visalia Times-Delta
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Steve Pastis, Visalia Times-Delta | USA TODAY Network
