World Elder Abuse Awareness Day passed last Thursday without much fanfare besides a man with a poster board and several news releases from the Yukon government.

Fred Horrocks was the lone observer, standing in the rain in front of the legislature with a bright yellow sign reading 'END ELDER ABUSE'.

Horrocks said in an interview he witnessed evidence of elder abuse while in Dawson City. When he went to the RCMP, he said, he received no response.

'I tried to help the elders .They just ignore it,' he said, referring to police and government agencies in the area.

Elder abuse can take many forms, said a government press release.

'Abuse can be physical, emotional, verbal, sexual or spiritual. Financial abuse is the most common form of abuse,' it said.

This year was the first time World Elder Abuse Awareness Day was acknowledged in the Yukon. Horrocks said the government had tried to plan events but no one signed up and the events were cancelled.

According to the release, the government is using the inauguration of the day as 'a learning opportunity for territorial residents.'

To that end, the Department of Health and Social Services has sent out information to all seniors' groups, health centres, social workers, RCMP detachments and first nations in the Yukon.

'We're starting by sending out information in relation to senior/elder abuse, and by pointing out that the Adult Protection and Decision Making Act is in place,' said Health and Social Services Minister Brad Cathers.

The act came into effect last September. It's intended to protect the autonomy and dignity of seniors.

'We like to think we live in a society where we honour and cherish our seniors and our elders,' Cathers said in the release. He noted that Seniors Week was celebrated last week.

'This week, we have to face a more serous issue of how to ensure our elder citizens are supported as well as protected from people who would possibly abuse or neglect them.

'The abuse and neglect of our seniors and elders happens far too often . We want to raise public awareness of how to deal with this sensitive issue.'