06/15/2026
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) was launched by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse in 2006 and recognized as a United Nations Observance in 2011. 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, neglect, and exploitation.
WEAAD is in support of the United Nations International Plan of Action acknowledging the significance of elder abuse as a public health and human rights issue. In a society that values the just treatment of all people, WEAAD reminds us that elder abuse has implications for all of us, and so it’s important to find the right solutions to it. WEAAD serves as a call-to-action for individuals, organizations, and communities to educate each other on how to identify, address, and prevent abuse.