Globally, 1 in 6 people aged 60 years and older experience abuse in the community every year. Rates in institutions are even higher. Yet, abuse of older people (also known as elder abuse) remains a low global priority. The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing 2021–2030 offers a unique 10-year opportunity for a step change in how abuse of older people is tackled.

This document outlines five priorities to prevent and respond to abuse of older people:

• combat ageism;
• generate more and better data on prevalence and on risk and protective factors;
• develop and scale up cost–effective solutions;
• make an investment case for addressing the issue; and
• raise funds to tackle the issue.

If governments, United Nations agencies and development organisations, civil society organisations, academic and research institutions and funders implement these priorities, we can reduce the number of older people worldwide who experience abuse and contribute to improving their health, well-being and dignity.