OKDHS Director of Aging Services to attend United Nations World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Lance Robertson, Director of Aging Services for the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS), will participate in World Elder Abuse Awareness Day activities at the United Nations (U.N.) in New York City on June 14 and 15. Robertson is also President of the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD).

An estimated two million older Americans are victims of abuse, neglect or exploitation. Many aging advocates believe that for every case of reported elder abuse or neglect, as many as five cases may go unreported.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living (ACL) will join the U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs and other international partners to raise awareness about the occurrence of elder abuse around the world. Robertson will attend a reception at the United States Mission to the U.N. and discuss aging issues with representatives from the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), HelpAge International, and the U.N. Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Committee on Aging.

“I will be there to represent our national association and the 56 fellow State Units on Aging (SUA) directors nationwide,” says Robertson. “I will participate in discussions and activities and strategize with national leaders to develop effective methods we can use to tackle the significant issue of elder abuse.”

For more information about World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, visit ACL World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, the National Center on Elder Abuse or centeronelderabuse.org.

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