Keeping Pace with WEAAD’s Founder,
Dr. Elizabeth Podnieks

Before I intervened in 2006 to help my grandmother, I was filled with angst, frustration, and a sense of impotence as I watched her world, which had spanned the globe and a century, become so diminished and compromised. My grandmother — Brooke Astor, New York City philanthropist — endured years of abuse and exploitation inflicted by my father and other bad actors. With the help of many concerned persons, in months we had a team and a plan to save my grandmother.

Until my grandmother’s abuse, I wasn’t aware of elder abuse. It was unimaginable. I didn’t know that the “estimated overall prevalence of elder abuse [was] approximately 10%”. I certainly wasn’t aware of what was about to unfold globally to advance awareness and action. Just blocks away the United Nations hosted the first World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), envisioned by Dr. Elizabeth Podnieks. Planning began in 2004, as reported by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, a partner together with the World Health Organization.

Collaborating to Advance Elder Justice

In 2015, the National Adult Protective Services Association launched its first WEAAD Global Summit at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which is committed to protecting older adult investors. Each year experts advance elder justice by sharing research findings, accomplishments, and lessons learned. Meetings were in person, until Covid. To me, the most salient appreciation of and investment in older adults was expressed by the way Betty Malks, as chair, engaged Elizabeth in preparation along the way and then during World Day, giving reference and deference to Elizabeth’s accomplishments and new insights. As demonstrated, we advance elder justice in partnership with elders — not by elders, or for elders.

Continuing Dr. Podnieks’s Vision for Elder Justice

This is our first year without WEAAD’s founder, innovator, creator, catalyst, compass, and guiding light. Indefatigable and determined until her last days, Dr. Elizabeth Smith MacDonald Podnieks, B.Sc.N., M.ES., Ed.D., C.M., “passed away peacefully, on February 2, 2024, in Toronto.”

To practice ageless equity — my term, one of Elizabeth’s goals and realizations — we apply a two-prong approach: (1) we dispense with ageism through our life course, and (2) we articulate our life and legacy. For the second, articulation is twofold: it’s a pronounced expression of our will to live and give during our life, and it’s an intentional connection far beyond our life through our legacy — personal and testamentary wishes, included. (Elder abuse severs a person’s life and legacy.)

Looking forward, in 2023 Elizabeth offered the following prompts as “guiding questions for meaningful action”:

• “Leadership: how can we create and sustain leadership and momentum for this worldwide event? Let’s explore the possibility of a global campaign in the future (similar to the annual 16 Days of Activismcampaign).

• Evaluation: how do we evaluate the global impact of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day?

• Fund development: how can we help national, regional, and local organizations secure funding to support their WEAAD activities and evaluation process over time?”

Promoting International and Intergenerational Solidarity for Elder Justice

As expressed by WEAAD Canada,

“We are profoundly grateful for Dr. Podnieks’s vision, which will continue to guide our efforts for generations to come. In her memory, we pledge to uphold her legacy by advancing the well-being, safety, and inclusion of older adults worldwide.”

The inaugural WEAAD came on the heels of WHO’s Missing Voices: Views of older persons on elder abuse project. In observance of WEAAD at the 2021 Global Summit, Elizabeth noted, “Elder abuse is not just about elders.” (timestamp, 34:35) Don’t be a missing voice for your future self. Be an advocate for elders now.

For WEAAD this year the National Center for Elder Abuse launched a Finish the Sentence for #WEAAD campaign leading with, “Everyone at every age can stand up to elder abuse by…” Inspired and emboldened by these words, please finish the sentence if you haven’t.

“Years ago, when Dr. Podnieks was told about the improbability of getting international recognition for WEAAD, she responded ‘but together we can do it.’”

It’s not how fast or far we run, it’s how we pass the baton. Elizabeth has passed each of us the baton with flying colors, campaign color purple at the lead. Let’s all keep pace.

Philip C. Marshall, Founder, BeyondBrooke.org; Professor Emeritus, Roger Williams University

This essay was first published in 2024 by the National Center on Elder Abuse. It recounts the origins of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) and honors the significant contributions of Dr. Elizabeth Podnieks, architect of WEAAD.