The Department of Geriatric Medicine, JIPMER and Help Age India observed World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2025 on Monday, 16th June 2025 with a public awareness program held at the Screening OPD Block, JIPMER. The event aimed to sensitize the senior citizens, public & caregivers about the growing concern of elder abuse and the importance of prevention, reporting, and legal protection. In this event, Dr. Venugopalan G. Associate Professor, Department of Geriatric Medicine, JIPMER, elaborated on the forms of elder abuse, risk factors, and the need for early identification and timely intervention.
Ms. Fromsi Lukose, Social Service Officer, spoke on prevention strategies, highlighting the role of families, caregivers, and society in creating a safe and respectful environment for the elderly. She also stressed the importance of empowering older persons to speak up and seek help when needed. The session on legal aspects and social protection of elders was addressed by Mr. Venugopal Ramalingam, Director, HelpAge India, Puducherry & Cuddalore. He outlined the various legal provisions and support systems available for elder protection and urged stakeholders to utilize them effectively.
Around 80 older people and their caregivers attended and benefited from the event. The program concluded with distribution of educational handouts to promote awareness on elder abuse prevention and the Elder helpline number 14567 was also emphasised.
The observance reflected JIPMER's continued commitment to the health, dignity, and rights of senior citizens.