Netherlands launches awareness campaign on elderly abuse

One in 20 elderly people in the Netherlands face abuse. Ministers Hugo de Jonge of Public Health and Sander Dekker for Legal Protection launched a television campaign to increase awareness on how to recognize and report the abuse of the elderly people. New commercials for the campaign will start appearing on television this week.

A study commissioned by the Public Health Ministry showed last year that about 120 thousand elderly people who still live at home are abused. "Figures to shake you", De Jonge said. The abuse can include physical and mental violence, but the most common form of elderly abuse is financial exploitation.

Under the motto "it does not stop until you do something", the campaign calls on people to take action if they are concerned about an elderly person. "Every action, no matter how small, can make a difference", Minister De Jonge said. "You can, for example, have a cup of coffee with an elderly person and ask how they are. Or discuss your suspicions with someone who also knows the elderly person, like a neighbor, family member, or local nurse. Because together, you often know more. And if you share your concerns, you can also together make a plan on how to help."

For tips on how to respond if you suspect someone is the victim of domestic violence, visit this website.

Ouderen moeten zich veilig voelen en veilig zijn. Toch komt ouderenmishandeling in NL nog te vaak voor. En die cirkel van geweld moeten we doorbreken. Niet wegkijken, maar in actie komen. Want: het houdt niet op, totdat je iets doet. 👉https://t.co/VS2h58Y4KN #ikmaakhetverschil pic.twitter.com/ZY6aqxpoOt

— Hugo de Jonge (@hugodejonge) June 12, 2019