SE Valley Times

Tempe, AZ – Tempe Mayor Corey Woods and Councilmember Berdetta Hodge are inviting community residents to join them on Saturday, June 15 for the monthly Breakfast with Berdetta event. This session will focus on the escalating crime of elder abuse in Arizona, across America, and worldwide.

Councilmember Berdetta Hodge has dedicated her June Breakfast with Berdetta to highlight World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. The event aims to provide information about the seven types of elder abuse and how to avoid becoming a victim. Residents are encouraged to bring friends, neighbors, or loved ones to Friendship Village’s Skirm Auditorium from 9-10 a.m. on Saturday, June 15.

“I’m honored to be hosting this important annual event with the experienced public safety leaders from City of Tempe and Maricopa County, supported by elder justice advocate and Tempe resident Linda Arters,” Councilmember Hodge said. “We need to shine a bright light on the prevalence of elder abuse as the ‘silent crime’ that robs our seniors of their dignity, health, financial security and, in some cases, their lives.”

The one-hour event will feature a panel discussion about recognizing, preventing, and reporting elder abuse in Tempe followed by a Q&A session.

Councilmember Hodge will be joined by panelists including Assistant Tempe Police Chief Dane Sorensen; Interim Tempe Fire and Medical Rescue Chief Darrell Duty; Maricopa County Deputy Sheriff James McFarland; Deputy County Attorney Jared Price of the Family Violence Division; and Deputy County Attorney Mary Harriss of the Fraud Division of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.

This marks the fourth consecutive year that the City of Tempe and Mayor Corey Woods have recognized World Elder Abuse Awareness Day through proclamations and community events aimed at promoting education and resources to help protect Arizona seniors.

Elder abuse statistics reveal alarming trends:

One in ten Americans aged 60 or older have experienced some form of abuse yet only one in fourteen cases come to authorities' attention.

• Elders who have been abused face a 300% higher risk of death compared to those who have not been mistreated.

• Belittling, threats or other uses of power and control by individuals are signs of verbal or emotional abuse.

• For each case of financial exploitation reported, 44 cases go unreported. Current studies estimate losses at $36.5 billion growing potentially up to $2.5 trillion by 2035.

• Elder abuse can be physical but also includes emotional/psychological neglect, sexual exploitation/isolation undue influence as well as financial/material exploitation.

• Older adults may become vulnerable due to isolation physical/mental disabilities dependence on others for assistance with most perpetrators being family members.

For planning purposes please RSVP for the June 15 Breakfast with Berdetta event via email at Cepand_alizadeh@tempe.gov or call 480-350-8597. More details can be found at tempe.gov/Hodge.

About World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) was launched on June 15, 2006 by the International Network for Prevention Of Elder Abuse along with WHO at United Nations learn more online.

Media contacts:

City Of Tempe - Susie Steckner: 480-604-6128 / Susie_steckner@tempe.gov

Elder Justice Advocate & Certified Senior Advisor - Linda Arters: 602-677-3533 / arters@artersgroup.com