Billboards Throughout Hampton Roads Help Call Attention to Elder Abuse

Fourteen billboards went up across Hampton Roads in September 2025 for a public awareness campaign about elder abuse, built around three words: recognize, respond, refer.

The billboards carried messages like "Have You Checked On Grandpa Lately?", "Elder Abuse Doesn't Always Leave Bruises," and "Protecting Seniors Starts With You." The $35,000 in billboard space, placed with Adams Outdoor and Lamar, came out of $100,000 in federal funding the Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services awarded to Senior Services. Most of that money trains local Adult Protective Services staff and other providers to recognize abuse; the rest can go toward direct support for seniors experiencing it, according to Senior Services' marketing director.

Roughly 1 in 10 Americans age 60 and older have experienced some form of elder abuse, according to the National Council on Aging, but only about 1 in 24 cases are ever reported. "Elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation are often overlooked or misunderstood," the agency's chief operating officer said. "Through this campaign, we want families, neighbors, and community members to know the signs and take action. Protecting older adults is a responsibility we all share."

This story ran in The Virginian-Pilot on September 10, 2025.