An Age For Justice

About the Project

In every community throughout America, there is an epidemic that we have shut our eyes to – an epidemic that affects us all. An Age for Justice, Confronting Elder Abuse in America brings you into the homes of abused and neglected elders hoping you will take up the charge to protect older Americans. In this 16-minute documentary our elders and their family members tell poignant stories about the abuse they or their loved ones have suffered. At age 90, Vicki Bastion became a prisoner in her own home. The exploitation James Lee endured is believed to have contributed to his death. Betty Beckles was physically abused by her daughter and Wilson Smith was targeted by a 20-something year old woman who took advantage of his Alzheimer's robbing him of $750,000.

In each story, the abused or their loved one never thought this could happen to them. But each case proves that no elder is safe from abuse. Elder abuse cuts across racial, religious, ethnic, cultural, geographic and gender lines leaving millions of Americans to live in silent fear, battered and beaten, preyed upon, quieted by shame. With the rapid aging of America, the incidence of abuse will undoubtedly grow.

But yet we don’t think or talk about it. Sometimes we can’t talk about it. Many of our elders are isolated by and dependent on those who hurt them, and the perceived shame and stigma of disclosing that they are suffering at the hands of their own caregiver can act as a powerful silencer. Moreover, many older Americans don’t have the means or the capacity to report it and thus the size of an already widespread but hidden problem continues to grow.

To help bring the issue of elder abuse out of the shadows and into the light of day, WITNESS partnered with the National Council on Aging and 17 elder rights advocates from across the country to produce our “100 Voices” video series from abused elders and people who care about them - from Harlem to Hollywood, and Detroit to Houston. The diverse stories, all with a unifying theme and message, are shared on www.ElderJusticeNow.org. An Age for Justice, Confronting Elder Abuse in America then unites these voices, hoping to shine a national spotlight on this epidemic, empower elders to speak out about abuse and fight for the passage of the Elder Justice Act Imagine if someone you love was beaten, neglected or exploited and you were in a position to support something that could stop it.

The Fledgling Fund Impact

The Fledgling Fund is proud to support this revealing and powerful project. This issue touches everyone who learns of it - we are all connected to the elderly in so many ways and we can no longer ignore their well being, safety and security. We hope that this project will inspire people to take individual actions in their own families and to think about ways they can support the larger movement.