Is Elder Abuse Really That Prevalent?

Type "elder abuse" into a Google search and you will probably be surprised about how much comes up on the issue.  Just now I did it and some of the headlines under the News section include: "Bill Requires Bank Tellers to Report Elder Abuse," "Abuse of Elderly Growing in East Tennessee," "Taking Advantage of the Elderly is a Reality," and "Education, Awareness Keys to Fighting Elder Abuse."  This is a big problem, but for some reason it receives little attention.  Why?  What does this say about our culture?  While answering these questions is important, equally important is figuring out how to solve the problem.  The last headline gives some pretty sound advice: start with education and awareness.  Once you are aware of the warning signs (see one of the previous posts on elder abuse for examples), make an effort to engage with some of the elders in your community.  Show them that they are valuable in our society.  Some of the best advice I'm ever received has come from people over 75.  If I'm going through a problem, chances are I can find an elder who has been through something similar - twice or three times.  So make an effort.  Maybe you'll end up making some great friends.