June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month. The National Center on Elder Abuse describes elder abuse as; “intentional ne- glectful acts by a caregiver or ‘trusted’ individual that lead to or may lead to, harm of a vulnerable elder.” There are several different types of elder abuse and the perpetrators can exist in a variety of different forms. Elder abuse is one of the many forms of domestic violence, and is not something to be ignored. While we are all encouraged to have less face-to-face con- tact with our loved ones, it is especially important to make sure we are checking in with our elders in other ways. We need to help our elders stay connected to their loved ones and communities. There are many ways to do this while keeping our elders and ourselves at a safe distance. Call or video chat Make something Send mail Make a meal Gather medicine Get in the garden Mow the lawn Pick up groceries Include your kids Give the elders in your life a call and check in with them Follow safe food handling guidelines and prepare a meal to drop off Take advantage of a sunny day and offer to mow an elder’s lawn You can reach us at: Office: 541-444-9680 6 • Siletz News • June 2020 Practice your traditional craft skills and make some- thing beautiful to gift them Get out and gather medicines or traditional craft materials for an elder Offer to do the grocery shopping for an elder so they can stay safe at home Write a letter or send a card to an elder Help an elder with gar- dening, do some weed- ing, planting or watering Show kids the importance of caring for elders and help keep the generations connected to each other If you or someone you know has experienced elder abuse 24 Hour Hope Line: the CARE Program is here to help. 541-994-5959