Since 2006, Elderly Abuse Awareness Month has given a needed voice for those most vulnerable in today's society and a lesson to those who cause the elderly harm.

But now one family is asking the question, what happens when those being punished never knew any harm was done?

It's one of those issues no one wants to talk about.

"There's a lot of shame in it. There's a lot of guilt. I mean, who's gonna abuse a senior?" said Joyce DeRenzy of Peoria's Center for The Prevention of Abuse.

At least that's how she describes one of this month's top causes. She says every year her agency sees over 600 new reports of elderly abuse in Central Illinois. Those range from physical to sexual to financial abuse cases or ones of simple neglect.

That's something Alfred and Carolyn Jackson of Metamora have become all too familiar with this year.

"We went and picked her up January the 24th, and she moved in. On the way up she told us she had been seen by doctors, that she was fine," said Carolyn.

But Alfred's mother, 72 year old Nancy Jackson was not fine. Just before moving in with her son's family, she had developed a severe ulcer on her back.

After her unrelated death in May, investigators called the Jacksons, asking about the wound. The family says they were shocked about the ulcer, but not about Nancy's silence.

"She would sit in a chair praying that God would take her at night because she feels like a burden," said Alfred.

By the time Nancy moved into the Jackson's house she was the eighth person living in a four-bedroom home, so finding space for her was an issue. In one night, Alfred put up a wall splitting their living room in two and creating an extra bedroom. The Jacksons say they did all they could, which makes the process even more frustrating, especially with four children, one having severe handicaps, plus having Carolyn's father who is battling Alzheimer's all living at under one roof.

"How much can one person do? I can only do so much," said Carolyn.