340 Pinwheels In Waukesha To Raise Awareness Of Elder Abuse

WAUKESHA COUNTY, WI— This week purple pin wheels will be displayed outside of the Waukesha County Courthouse bring awareness to elder abuse.

This week, 340 purple pinwheels will be on display in front of the Waukesha County Courthouse to represent the number of cases opened by Adult Protective Services in Waukesha County in 2020.

The Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC) of Waukesha County is organizing the pinwheel display.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on Tuesday, is a call-to-action for individuals, organizations, and communities to raise awareness about abuse, neglect, and exploitation of elders.

“A startling number of elders are victims of scams and have their identities stolen,” said ADRC Manager Mary Smith in a statement. “In 2020, financial elder abuse cost Waukesha County seniors more than $1 million in losses. This event aims to increase awareness of the issue and to help seniors and their families prevent it from happening in Waukesha County.”

On Wednesday, June 23, the ADRC’s Adult Protective Services unit will host a virtual presentation for members of the public about Identity Theft and how seniors can protect themselves from scammers.

A representative from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, will lead the presentation with the goal of making seniors more aware of hazards and scams on the internet, and teach them the necessary steps should they become a victim of cybercrime or identity theft.

Anyone can register for the virtual event by calling the ADRC at (262) 548-7848.